Disclaimer: I do not own Bioware or Marvel Cinematic Universe.
"That's strange." Wanda said as she went over the letters.
"What is it?" Marian asked.
"It's a letter. From Knight-Commander Meredith." Wanda said as Marian shivered.
"What does she want?" Marian asked.
"She's requested you to come visit her. Well, you and us." Wanda said, reading the letter. "Quite formal and polite."
"I'm surprised she wants to talk to me after what happened outside the Viscount's Keep." Marian said.
"I saw." Wanda nodded.
"But it might be best not to anger her." Marian suggested.
Knight-Captain Cullen's smile was slightly cold when Marian entered templar hall the following morning.
"Champion. It seemed you've become less friendly to the templars in the years since your ascent." Cullen tilted his head. "But surely you can see the knight-commander directly now, should you wish, as do your companions. What would you have of me?" He turned to Wanda. While he had a certain of distrust towards mages, he had built up a level of respect towards Wanda due to her help with rogue mages and templars. Although, he eyed the Avengers warily, clearly, he was unwilling to trust strangers.
They might not agree with Cullen on everything, but they did like and respect the man. "Everyone says the knight-commander's gone crazy. Are you still behind her?" Marian asked.
"The people ask too much of her. She needs a spine of iron to survive her position. I have seen madness before. I saw Uldred's eyes when there was nothing human left in them. The knight-commander…" Cullen sighed as the Avengers looked in sympathy. From what they had read in Wanda's book, Cullen witnessed firsthand rogue blood mages roaming around in Circle of Magi back in Ferelden, torturing templars and mages alike, allowing abominations and demons to possess them, so they could understand to an extent his line of thinking. "She is not there yet. But I do not have to ask where the rumors come from."
"The tension between the mages and templars had been building up quite a lot, from what I've seen." Wanda said. "Who do you think the grand cleric will side with, if it comes down to it?"
"She is bound by faith and duty to support the templars." Cullen said. "We have dominance over mages by divine right. But it is cruel how she leads them on, letting them think they might have a chance at rebellion."
"Oppressing is not an answer but fighting back might be extreme as well." Steve noted, remembering the Sokovian Accords.
"I just wanted to see how an old friend is doing in this difficult time." Marian said.
"After what happened in Ferelden, I told myself I would never again question the purpose of the Order." Cullen moved as if a great weight was sitting on his shoulders. "But it grows harder each day to tell whether I am serving the templars or only the knight-commander. It may be that they are no longer one and the same."
Wanda and the Avengers looked at each other in concern. If even Cullen of all people was worried regarding the tension between the mages and templars, it really has gotten worse.
Marian entered Meredith's office as the knight-captain looked at her coldly. "Champion. Welcome."
"What is this urgent matter you spoke of?" Marian asked.
Meredith gestured for her to follow as they went out from her office. "There was an incident within the Gallows. A number of phylacteries were destroyed and several mages took the opportunity to escape. We've recovered most of the fugitives. However, I require your assistance in tracking down the last three."
"How did the phylacteries get destroyed?" Marian wondered.
Meredith clenched her fists. "An insurrection. Several of my own templars orchestrated the escape, presumably out of sympathy for the mages. They turned their backs on their duty and endangered their charges, as well as the city. Thankfully most who escaped fled to their families and offered no resistance. The last three are proving more…" Her head shake revealed frustration. "…difficult."
"I'm surprised you would turn to me. We haven't always seen eye to eye." Marian said civilly.
"I have asked you to track these fugitives so you might see for yourself what we templars deal with every day. If you still think them worth our mercy, tell me then." Meredith said.
"I'll see what I can do." Marian said. While she and Meredith did not see eye-to-eye neither of them wanted to see dangerous rogue mages, especially blood mages, roaming in Kirkwall.
"I am relieved. I was expecting resistance, after that debacle at the market. Talk to these mages' families, learn where they are hiding and find them before they do harm." Meredith said. "You will see that imprisonment or death is sometimes the only kindness we can offer." Marian narrowed her eyes as Meredith turned to a woman in Chantry robes at the corner, who had a brand on her head. A Tranquil. "Speak to my assistant, Elsa. She can tell you what you need to know about the fugitives. I bid you good day, Champion."
After she left, they went to speak with Elsa.
"What's with that brand?" Hunter asked.
"It might look similar Game of Thrones but being a Tranquil is a fate worse than death for mages." Wanda said, leaving the Avengers worried as Marian approached Elsa.
"Good day, Champion of Kirkwall." Elsa nodded, her face and voice void of any emotion, speaking like a robot. "Knight-Commander Meredith has informed me that you will be tracking down the apostates on behalf of the templars. There are three of them: Huon, Emile, and Evelina."
It was somewhat disturbing, talking to a Tranquil. Strange thought how lucky the Masters of Mystic Arts were for not being linked to the Fade or addicted to lyrium to perform their magic and that as far as they knew, save for stealing magic, like how Mordo did it to Jonathan Pangborn, there was no such thing as magic lobotomy in their world.
"I'm surprised that knight-commander of templars needs a Tranquil assistant." Wanda said.
"The knight-commander believes Tranquil mages to be efficient and single-minded. I, in particular, am extremely organized." Elsa said.
"Are the apostates blood mages?" Marian asked.
"The knight-commander suspects this, yes." Elsa nodded.
"But she's not 100% sure?" Steve inquired.
"The knight-commander tends to assume all apostates practice blood magic. She prefers to err on the side of caution." Elsa said.
The Avengers sighed. In other words, they had another Ross on their hands, only this one was wary of rogue mages, rather than rogue Enhanced or people with special equipment. Marian and Wanda were relieved that Bethany seemed to be treated fairly in the Circle but still, the harsh treatment of Meredith regarding all the mages, worried them. In fact, it worried not only Marian and Wanda but also everyone else.
Elsa soon enough told them everything they needed to know about the fugitive mages but it was like talking to an emotionless computer, like Jarvis with no emotion.
They went into the alienage in Lowtown as they saw an elven woman at a sales stand, cleaning up. Huon's wife, Nyssa. The elven fugitive. Merrill accompanied them into the alienage before noticing Nyssa.
"There she is." Merrill said as they approached her.
Nyssa got up, smiling. "Oh. Greetings, messere!" She stopped upon noticing Merrill. "Merrill? What are you doing here?"
"We're here about Huon, Nyssa." Merrill said gently and Nyssa looked saddened.
"Oh." Nyssa sighed and took a breath. "When the templars came, I told them the truth—I hadn't seen Huon in ten years." She lowered her head for a moment before looking them in the eye. "But after they left, he… he came to me. He wanted me to hide him. I used to dream of him returning. But not like this. He's changed, and I don't know him anymore. I sent him away." Her voice was melancholy.
"Did he hurt you?" Clint asked.
"Only broke my heart." Nyssa breathed out.
"So you hadn't seen him since he left you." Marian asked, just to be sure.
"Huon didn't leave me. He was taken away." Even though Nyssa sounded calm, she was obviously angry at reliving the memory. "When the templars found out he was a mage, they chained him and dragged him from the alienage. In front of everyone. Now I'm trapped in this…" She shook her head. "This sham. Married, but with no husband, and no future."
"Your husband has changed? How exactly?" Strange asked.
"He was obsessed with showing everyone true elven power. He frightened me." Nyssa said, terrified.
"Do you have any idea where he might have gone after you made him leave?" Steve inquired.
Nyssa shook her head. "I don't know. He… disappeared. B-but Huon said he would return to take me away from this forever."
"A user. Just looking for another handout." Aveline noted.
"I don't know what he means, and I'm afraid of him, messere." Nyssa sighed.
"Would it help if we returned? We'll make sure you're safe." Marian promised.
"I…" Nyssa hesitated, then glanced at Merrill, and then finally nodded. "…would be grateful. Huon said he would come to the alienage soon, at nightfall. Are you… are you going to arrest him? I think he needs help. Maybe the Circle will be able to heal whatever troubles him."
"Thoughts?" Marian turned to her companions.
Merrill frowned, worried. "She knew him best. If she's scared…"
"…it may be with good reason." Aveline finished as the rest nodded.
A guard greeted them as they re-entered the Alienage. There was something vaguely familiar about the elven woman. Her eyes widened as she saw them. It was the girl they had saved from the magistrate's son, who seemed to be in no control of himself. "Champion. It's Lia. Do you remember me? You saved me from that murderer when I was a kid." She blinked when she saw Aveline. "Sorry, Captain. I don't mean to—"
Aveline gave her a nod, but there was a fondness in her eyes. "Not at all. Go on."
"I wanted to say thank you. I wasn't thinking straight the day you saved me. That monster deserved what he got." She gave Aveline a nod. "Captain."
"Dismissed." Aveline watched the young woman returned to her duties, then smiled at Marian. "She joined the guard a couple months back. She's got a good understanding of what we're up against."
Marian watched the elves of the alienage give the young guardswoman friendly nods as she passed. "Good to know she's doing well.:
Aveline nodded. "Lia is shaping up well. I've had two more elves apply to join since taking in Lia."
"Good to know this city is in good hands." Clint said as the Avengers started to respect the Guard-Captain even more.
Later at night, they returned to Nyssa as they fought through the thieves in Lowtown until they saw that Nyssa was nearly to Huon. Her walk was slow, almost stiff-legged. She whimpered her husband's name as Huon hugged her.
"Hush, love. Don't be afraid." Huon drove the knife up under her ribcage. "Your blood will bring new life to our people." He laid her down almost tenderly. "She was so beautiful."
Marian glared. "You're going to pay for what you did."
The Avengers reached for their weapons.
"I am a visionary. I've seen our destiny." Huon's eyes glowed strangely. "I know what fate holds for the elves. The humans keep us down because they're afraid of the magic within us." Nyssa's blood began to swirl in the air around him. "Look at the magic Nyssa held inside her. She was just afraid to use it."
"Not again." Wanda groaned, realizing what magic that was as she charged her hands and Strange summoned Tao Mandalas.
"What is it with elves and blood magic?" Anders demanded and Merrill winced.
"It's always the same." Fenris drew his blade. "Always."
The abominations and demons rose from the ground. Steve threw his shield, knocking down some of them, while Sam and Bucky and Varric fired. Strange summoned Eldritch whips, evaporating some of them before Anders and Merrill threw fireballs. Huon was about to use his blood magic but Anders negated his magic by using his staff before Marian stabbed him in the heart.
"Is blood magic that bad?" Steve asked.
"You have no idea." Marian shook her head.
They went back to where they remembered Evelina being. There were two boys now on the spot. One was an older lad, probably sixteen, while the other looked closer to ten, named Walter and Cricket. The older boy glared defensively as they approached. "We got nothing here you'd want. Get back to Hightown and leave us alone!"
"Does Evelina live here? Why are you here?" Marian asked.
"This is our home as much as it is hers. Evelina shared everything she had with us." Walter said, angry and sad. "She was our mother. Evelina found us when the darkspawn came, when our parents died. She made sure we got to Kirkwall safely."
The younger boy peeked out from behind the older one. "I miss her."
"But when she went to join the Circle here, they called her apostate for leaving the tower in Ferelden. They locked her up." Walter shook his head.
"You have no other family?" Wanda asked. There were still many refugees in Kirkwall.
"Everyone died in the Blight. Evelina kept picking us up, new children every day, every one she could save." Walter said.
"Do the templars know you're here?" Marian asked.
"They don't care. They only want Evelina." Walter shook his head.
They likely never gave the boys a thought as the group seemed disgusted. Marian would have a word with a few of them. "Didn't she want to stay free, with you?"
"She didn't want us to be stuck in Darktown." Walter said. "She wanted to give us a real life. She thought the Circle would help her. But they just locked her away."
"Reminds you of something?" Sam asked as the Avengers glared, remembering Ross far too well.
"If you tell me where Evelina is, I'll try my best to help her. You can trust me." Marian promised. Maybe they could have found a ship and smuggle them out of Kirkwall.
"No one can help her." Walter said lowly.
"The templars made Evelina angry. They made her change…" Cricket stopped. "It wasn't her fault. When it was over, she was ashamed. She ran into the tunnels and hid."
"Shut up, Cricket. Don't tell them that." Walter glared as it hit Marian and those from Kirkwall and Wanda and Strange.
"Oh, no." Wanda said, looking solemn.
"She is in the sewers, child?" Aveline asked.
"You can't go there. She'll know we told you and she'll be angry at us!" Walter snapped.
"Angry? I didn't like when she got angry. We-we have to hide." Cricket ran off.
Walter ran after him. "Cricket!"
"Stupid kids." Sam muttered as they followed the boys into the sewer tunnels, but then, corpses and rage demons rose up from the ground.
"Great." Steve muttered as they had to fight through the zombies and demons. It wasn't too hard but clearly, Evelina was too far gone now.
"What are you doing here?" Marian asked as they caught up with the boys
Walter turned his head nervously. "I… I thought if we warned her about you, she wouldn't be angry. But then she—"
"Walter…" A female voice called out gently, but they noticed a hint of insanity in it.
"She's coming! Run!" The boys only made it a few steps before sliding to a stop.
The woman stepped out of the shadows. It was the beggar woman. She gestured at the boys. "There you are. Don't run from me, Walter. You know those are the rules."
"I won't let you touch these children." Marian said as they were ready to attack.
"You play the hero well, but I see through it. You're Fereldan, like us, but you feast on sweetmeats while your people starve in the Undercity. I spit on you, traitor, and on the pathetic templars that sent you." Evelina form began to change as she spoke. "Kirkwall should be mine. Then my children will have a whole city to play in."
Strange summoned Tao Mandalas, shielding the boys as the rest moved themselves in between the boys to protect them. Marian, Fenris, Aveline and Steve attacked the demons that had emerged from the ground, cutting through them, while Sam, Clint, Sebastian and Varric backed them up.
Evelina turned into a desire demon, strangling Steve with her magic before Strange used a spell to make her let Steve go before Marian finished her off.
There were tears in the eyes of both boys. Walter was shaking his head. Aveline moved to block their view of the dead woman. "I don't understand. Evelina loved us. She saved us. Why would she try to hurt us now?"
"Evelina would never hurt you, child. That was a demon." Marian turned to Evelina's corpse. "Remember her as she was—a brave, kind, loving woman."
"Pray for her soul, child. The Maker may have mercy even now." Sebastian said.
"I… I'll try." Walter hesitated.
"She won't be the last." Aveline said grimly as they nodded.
"Both sides seem to be willing to do anything to get what they want, not even thinking about who gets caught in the crossfire." Clint said as they all nodded again. Clearly, the tension between the mages and templars was getting worse every day.
"I just don't know what we'll do now." Walter whispered.
"Take this. And use it wisely." Marian handed five sovereigns to him.
"Thank you, messere." Walter glanced at Cricket. "I should go buy some food for the others. They've been hungry for a long time."
Marian blinked, and then looked up at Aveline and Sebastian before looking back at the boys. "How many others?"
There were eighteen children in the living room of Marian's estate, ranging in age from Walter down to a girl no older than seven. She must have been an infant in arms when they left Ferelden. And the scary part was Orana clearly looked as if she wanted to keep all of them. She was passing around cookies and making sure bellies were appropriately stuffed. Anders was tending to various small hurts and sniffles, as Merrill sat cross legged next to the fire, telling a story about mabari hounds and the Dread Wolf to several attentive children and one attentive Runt. Varric and Isabela were teaching another group of kids how to play… Marian really hoped that wasn't Wicked Grace. Steve, Clint and the rest of the Avengers told them stories about their adventures but it was a bit difficult as they tried to keep out modern terms, such as cars, aliens etc. and stuck with "people from the skies", "advanced machines", "magical stones" and so on.
Marian looked to Sebastian. "Is there anything you can do?"
"I'll talk to Elthina and see what we can do for them." Sebastian promised. He then looked at the children with a sympathetic look. "I can't believe the templars ignored them. Apostate or not Evelina clearly treated them as her own children."
"Clearly, either the templars, or just Meredith, is neglecting their job." Steve said. "She's more focused on looking for boogeymen that might not even be there, than seeing the real issue. Take care of the kids, we'll see if we can find the last one." He ordered and Clint nodded.
Marian, Wanda, Fenris, Aveline, Isabela, Steve and Sam entered the de Launcet estate as the butler let them in to speak with the de Launcets.
"Good evening, Comtesse." Marian said as they bowed.
"Oh! The Champion of Kirkwall! This is marvelous. You honor this household." The Comtesse Dulci smiled and led them inside as the Avengers noticed her French-like accent, remembering she was an Orlesian. "I will call for refreshments. Talia!" She let out a long suffering sigh. "She is so slow, this girl. Come, let us chat while we wait."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Comtesse." Marian nodded as they sat down. "I need to speak to about Emile."
Dulci looked insulted. "Hospitality? This? Oh, it is a disgrace. If you had just sent a message to say you are coming!" She then sat down and calmed herself. "I haven't seen Emile since he was taken to the Circle. He was just six." Her eyes danced all over nervously. "You can tell the templars not to worry. I'm sure Emile will turn himself in soon. He's a good boy."
They shook their heads, noticing how naïve she was. They were about to say something, when the Comte Guillaume entered. They was about to ask her a few more questions when a man entered the room. "Dulci. What have you done? You should have told the boy to throw himself at the mercy of the templars."
"Guillaume, darling…" She tried to cut him off, but he interrupted her again.
"Don't "darling" me, Dulci! He's been telling people he's our son, that you gave him gold." Guillaume said.
"Guilluame, darling… we have guests!" Dulci turned to Marian and the rest.
"We just want to make sure no one gets hurt. If the templars get involved, it's likely that your son will at their mercy." Steve said.
"Mercy? They wouldn't really hurt him, would they?" Dulci stared. "Oh, you should've seen his face—it just broke my heart! I gave him some money. Not too much. He said he wanted to start a new life."
"New life?" Comte Guillaume shook his head. "His new life is spent in Lowtown taverns, getting drunk on cheap wine. It's a wonder the templars haven't found him yet." He gave Marian a beseeching look. "Help us, please, Champion. Emile is not a blood mage, just a foolish boy. Don't let the templars kill him."
"Blood mage? Oh, Guillaume, don't say that!" Dulci begged as she shot up from her seat.
"Please, save my son's life" Guillaume begged.
"If there is a way to help Emile, I will find it." Marian put an assuring hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Champion. An acquaintance spied Emile in the Hanged Man not long ago. He should still be there." Guillaume said.
"The Hanged Man?" Dulci laid back of her hand on her forehead and swayed some more, looking like if she was about to faint. "Oh, but that place is filthy."
"Come, Dulci. Perhaps you should lie down." Guillaume ushered his wife out of the room, leaving them standing there as they all had amused looks on their faces.
"Oh. But the Hanged Man is so filthy." Varric did a fair imitation of the Comtesse, even adding in the French/Orlesian accent before chuckling as he and Wanda snickered.
"It is filthy." Fenris noted, shooting Varric a look.
Isabela just shook her head, amused. "They are so Orlesian."
"Orlesians." Aveline rolled her eyes at the same time.
The rest just shook their heads, either in amusement or annoyance.
They met Anders on the way to the Hanged Man. Since Marian's position gave her mage friends some level of protection, it wasn't all that unusual for Anders to actually walk through Hightown openly. Privately, Marian thought Anders rather enjoyed scandalizing the neighbors. Apparently, it was something they had in common.
They looked around the Hanged Man as they entered. There was the usual crowd. And a man in rather outlandish clothing passed out on one of the tables. The Avengers scowled. If he was a blood mage and a son of a noble, would he risk being caught or killed by the templars, if he shouted out loud to everyone he was a blood mage? Suddenly, it hit the Avengers as they shook their heads and chuckled, trying to resist the urge to laugh as they swallowed their laughter.
"What's so funny?" Varric asked.
"Just wait." Sam said, amused.
Marian sighed, and walked over. "Emile de Launcet?"
The man looked up at her, eying her with hungry eyes. "Wow. Are you… are you a mage? Because you just magicked my breath away."
They all rolled their eyes. The Avengers tried to resist the urge to laugh, just smiling, suddenly remembering Tony as Marian sighed. "You need more practice with women."
"Can I practice on you? In private?" Emile chuckled, clearly drunk as he laughed.
Suddenly, the Avengers groaned. Now that was too much like Tony.
"This is what lack of sex does to a person. I can only watch in horror." Isabela noted, nudging Marian.
"Can I kill him yet? He's hurting me." Varric muttered.
"He's lived in the Circle all his life. He can't function in the real world." Anders added.
Varric pinched the bridge of his nose. "The comte was right. How did the templars miss him?" Probably because they were looking for a dangerous apostate.
Emile gestured at the bartender, who ignored him. "Round of drinks on me? I'm Emile, as you know. And you are…?"
"Feeling very sorry for you. I'm also helping the templars hunt a dangerous mage named Emile de Launcet, and here you are!" Marian said.
Emile paled and quickly got up from his chair, shaking his hands in surrender. "Oh, buggery. I know what this is about. I…" He shook his head frantically. "I'm not a blood mage, all right? I, uh, started that rumor because…" He shrugged helplessly. "Because I thought it would make me sound dangerous and…" The man gave what he clearly thought was a smooth smile. It made Isabela actually snort the drink she had just swiped out of her nose. "Suave."
The Avengers tried to hold back their laughter, shaking their heads in amusement. Tony might be stupid enough to claim he was a dangerous wanted fugitive to actually seduce women but he would never let himself get caught, unless he wanted to make fun of the authorities and mock them later somehow.
"Do you have a death wish?" Anders demanded, looking at Emile incredulously. "You grew up in the Circle, you know what the templars do to blood mages!"
"I've only told people in the tavern. And only women!" Emile gestured. "You don't understand. I've been in the Circle since I was six. Six! For twenty years I was locked up. Never had a real drink, or… or cooked something for myself." He spread his hands, and his voice became dreamy. "Never stood in the rain, or kissed a girl…"
Anders shrugged. "The Ferelden Circle's more fun. Everyone was kissing everyone." He considered a moment, and then continued thoughtfully. "Though that was before the abominations."
Marian sighed, and then looked back at Emile.
"I just wanted to live a little…" Emile said. He sighed. "If you're going to kill me, do it. I'd rather die drunk."
"Let me get this straight. You wanted to get laid, so you ran off and you thought it might be a good idea to tell people around that you're a wanted, dangerous mage, in order to get a shot at sleeping with whatever hot chick you can find?" Sam asked.
"Would Tony be that stupid?" Steve pointed out but not a second later the Avengers laughed, realizing what was he asking actually. The most likely scenario, in real life, would be Tony ending up getting tased and in prison until the misunderstanding would get cleared out.
"Well, not just that. I've read so much about the other things you can do with girls." Emile said.
"This is an act. The mage makes himself out to be harmless." Fenris shook his head, skeptical.
"No, I'm pretty sure he's that pathetic." Clint corrected, all the Avengers getting amused at the sight.
Wanda chuckled, getting an idea. "The boy wants to become a man." She turned to Isabela as they all realized what was she suggesting. "Want to help him, Isabela?"
To their surprise, Isabela actually looked shocked by the idea as she eyed Emile in disgust. "You don't mean…" Emile looked at her like a hungry dog seeing a bone as Isabela shook her head. "No. No! He's revolting!" She glared at Wanda. "I do just fine whoring myself out without your help, thanks."
They all smiled in amusement. Well, it was worth a shot.
"You can't run. The templars will find you eventually." Marian told Emile.
"I…" Emile lowered his voice conspiratorially. Or he tried to. It was possible they couldn't actually hear him in the Gallows. "I'll make you a deal, all right? Give me one night. Just one night." He looked back at the girl by the bar. "One of the tavern girls, Nella, agreed to lie with me. I even paid for a room." He was practically begging. "Please… let me have this. You can take me back in chains after."
"Why don't you start small and leave the chains for when you're more experienced?" Marian asked.
"Huh?" Emile asked, puzzled as they rolled their eyes and shook their heads. Virgins.
Marian sighed. "Just go do… whatever."
Emile went with Nella into their room as they waited at the table, not even wanting to know the details of what was going on there.
"Unbelievable. Claiming to be a blood mage to get laid." Wanda said, amused.
"Well, wonder what Ross would have to say about this." Clint said as they snickered before Varric handed them cards, teaching them Wicked Grace. They played for an hour until they saw Emile go out, smiling.
"Well?" Marian asked.
"I'm not going to tell you about it!" Emile looked taken aback before taking a breath. "That was utterly worth it. Back to the templars!"
At least Emile considered the experience worth potentially being made tranquil or executed. They headed in to report to Meredith back in her office in the Gallows.
"I'm led to believe that both Huon and Evelina are dead. Unfortunate but necessary." Meredith said. "Emile de Launcet, however, turned himself in. Rather happily, I might add. I would have had him executed immediately, but the boy's father made an impassioned appeal on his behalf." She raised an eyebrow at Marian. "What say you, Champion? Do you believe Emile to be dangerous?"
"Stupidity is dangerous and he has that in spades." Marian said, a bit amused.
Meredith nodded. "His father implied as much." She stared at her for a moment. "Very well, Emile will keep his life, though I will watch him closely."
"Look at the way you treat the mages. Is it any wonder they're so desperate?" Marian argued.
Meredith rubbed her forehead as if she had a massive headache. "I have heard this argument often."
"And it's not worth considering?" Aveline asked, raising an eyebrow.
Anders narrowed his eyes at Meredith. "Maybe if you never took Huon from his wife, she wouldn't be dead! Evelina could be alive, and with the children she risked everything to save."
"You claim to protect the whole city, yet you seem to overlook and neglect a lot of issues going on here, seeing threats and boogeymen, when there are none." Steve added.
Meredith turned her back to them and placed a hand on her desk. "There are maybes enough to fill half the graves in Kirkwall. I will not add to the pile." She then narrowed her eyes to Marian. "I bid you good day, Champion."
They sighed in frustration. They could understand the dangers of magic better than anyone, but oppressing every mage is not the way to maintain peace. Surely there had to be a compromise between the two factions.
Cullen nodded as Marian approached him. "Champion, what can I do for you?"
"Actually, this is more something we can do for each other. You mentioned, a few years ago, that the templars are always in need of recruits."
"We are." Cullen smiled. "Though last I've heard, you didn't exactly have a high opinion on the templar order."
"Evelina was protecting some children." Marian said.
Immediately, Cullen's face went from smiling to concerned. "Are they alright? Were any of them hurt?"
"No. They are fine. But…" Marian sighed. "Evelina came to the Circle in order to give them a better life, but instead she was locked up like a criminal and the children were ignored."
"I did not know of this, we were told that she was an apostate fleeing the Circle in Ferelden." Cullen said, taken aback.
"Who told you this?" Marian inquired.
Cullen closed his eyes. "Karras."
Marian nodded. Somehow, his involvement didn't surprise her. "I know that templars sometimes take recruits young and I was hoping that you could help with giving them shelter. They know the dangers that mages face, but also know that mages can be good, decent, loving people. Sounds like…"
"Like exactly who we need as templars." Cullen nodded. "Where are they now?"
"Wanda and Sebastian took them into the Chantry, providing them shelter." Marian said.
"I'll come by this evening and speak with them." Cullen promised.
Present
"The Champion and the Avengers were playing both sides. That does make more sense." Cassandra said.
"Getting good mages out, while working with the templars to deal with those that trafficked with demons." Leliana nodded. "And ensuring those that truly needed the protection of the Circle were protected. It makes sense. And it appears that they provided some moderating influence on Meredith."
"She certainly does not seem unreasonable as some of the stories claim."
"We already know Cullen's version of the tale, Cassandra."
Cassandra nodded. "We do indeed. I wonder if any of these children were among the templars that followed him from Kirkwall when he joined the Inquisition."
"All things considered, it seems unlikely Cullen would want to leave them, and some of those who accompanied him were on the young side."
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