Lady Cassandra Allegra Portia Calogera Filomena Pentaghast, Seeker and 78th in line to the Nevarran Throne feels the Inquisitor, Lord Trevelyan, try and grab hold of her arm when she jumps to her feet and dashes out of the wooden pew to run after Daniel. She manages to slip out of his grasp when he tries to hold onto her, ignoring his pleas to not go anywhere near the Blood Mage and sprints past the mourners that are all beginning to talk loudly between themselves. She hears their confusion at what is taking place, why Daniel Trevelyan has come out of hiding and why Cassandra is trying to leave the building so quickly. Ignoring the Inquisitor's shouts that follow her from the Chantry, through the doors and out into Ostwick she runs, knowing she has to stop him from leaving. Daniel was here because of her after all, he had received the letters she had sent him and she knew she had hurt her family by asking him to come; the least he could do was help her and the least she could do was speak to him and hear his side of the story.
"Daniel, please wait!" The Seeker shouts when she throws herself through the doors after him. "I need your help!" She cries looking around to see that he has fled the courtyard and she can't see where he would have disappeared to. "Please.." Cassandra whispers trailing her eyes around the high walls seeing that he doesn't have any normal way of escape.
The Seeker turns her head back to glance into the Chantry when she hears the Inquisitor shouting at the top of his voice about how dare Daniel turn up and how dare Lady Pentaghast think it was okay to tell him about Henry's death and funeral. She could hear that he was throwing things around in the darkness and overturning pews as he begins getting closer. Cassandra feels her stomach turn, he sounded furious and for the first time in a couple of days, The Seeker felt truly afraid of the Inquisitor and the rage that was taking over him.
"Daniel.." Lady Pentaghast sighs with frustration. "I know you have no reason to help us, I know that they have disowned you. I can't begin to understand what happened but you might be the only one that can help us." Cassandra raises her voice hoping that the blonde Mage might still be nearby. "Ashton is in trouble and I need you to tell me how to fix him." The Seeker feels her voice falter when she looks around her again, he was gone. Her one hope to lift the blood magic from her love, had fled. "Please, don't let me lose him." She feels herself sob.
"He has no right to be here!" Cassandra glances behind her again when she hears the Inquisitor burst through the door shouting, Commander Cullen trailing after him trying to calm his anger. "Don't touch me!" The Inquisitor turns his aggression at Cullen pulling his arm away from his grip. The Seeker watches the Inquisitor raise his hand pointing his finger into Cullen's face, his eyes blazing with hostility. "Touch me again and I will be the one removing your tongue from your mouth!" The Inquisitor growls at The Commander who holds his hands up in surrender, clearly remembering the threat that Cullen had directed at him on their way to Ostwick.
"Just calm down. This isn't Cassandra's fault." The Commander begins when Lady Pentaghast feels him return his gaze to her, a gaze that is not his own and is full of anger and hate.
She looks into his usually loving brown eyes, seeing nothing that she recognises in them. The short amount of time that he had been exposed to the Vial has been enough to bring on his anger. The Commander steps in front of the Inquisitor again blocking his path from reaching her; he places his hands on his shoulder leaning all his weight into him trying to stop him.
"Ashton, we need Daniel to help us." The Seeker begins stepping backwards when she sees he is heading straight for her. "Please, listen to me." Cassandra adds beginning to move quicker, she feels her feet scuff against the loose stones and sand knowing that if she was to try and run she would end up falling.
"I won't listen to your lies anymore you viper!" The Inquisitor spits struggling against Cullen. "Every word that leaves your mouth is a lie, you manipulative bitch!" He shouts at her as he continues to struggle against the Commanders hold getting angrier the longer he is being restrained. The Seeker looks at her friend that is working so hard to try and protect her and back to Lord Trevelyan that continues to throw insults at her.
"Get out of here Cassandra." The Commander huffs as he shoves himself into the Inquisitor again, digging his boots into the dirt trying to get some leverage behind him to stop him moving. "He's going to hurt you." Cullen puffs with effort trying to keep hold of the Inquisitor's arms that he begins swinging at him. "Please go." The Commander pleads with her looking over his shoulder at her.
"He won't hurt me.." Lady Pentaghast mumbles stopping in her tracks, deciding that no matter how much rage he was being fuelled by, her Inquisitor was still in there somewhere and that the part of him that loved her would never hurt her like that.
"Cass, please." The Commander begs her when she begins walking towards them again, coming dangerously close to his flailing arms.
"Silly girl." Daniel's voice echoes around the courtyard making Lady Pentaghast stop her movements towards the Inquisitor, she sees him falter in his struggling against Cullen when he hears his Brother's voice. Cassandra jumps when the door to the Chantry is suddenly slammed shut by no one but a sudden rush of magic. "Of course he will hurt you. He doesn't know what he does or says, only that he wants to unleash what he is feeling." Daniels voice booms again from nowhere that they can locate. "You need to cool off, Brother." Daniel laughs.
The Seeker steps back when The Inquisitor is suddenly swept off of his feet, an invisible hand taking hold of his legs from beneath him and lifting him into the air. Cassandra watches as he struggles against the force that turns him upside down letting him dangle in mid-air, thrashing about against his unseen restraints. Daniel's laughter fills the air around them vibrating through them as he lifts the Inquisitor higher, dangling him like a rag doll. Lady Pentaghast watches The Commander drop to a knee panting from the effort of trying to restrain Lord Trevelyan.
"Cullen!" Cassandra shouts running to his side, she places her hand on his back trying to help him to his feet. He holds his hand up nodding, telling her that he is fine and just needs to get his breath back. "Please don't hurt him, Daniel." Lady Pentaghast shouts again setting her eyes on the Inquisitor who has stopped struggling and seems to have gone quiet. Lady Pentaghast guides The Commander to his feet watching him place his hands on his hips, he glances up at Lord Trevelyan shaking his head.
"I would never hurt him," Daniel replies leaning close to whisper in her ear making her jump again at his sudden appearance. "I am not Henry." He adds with a smile when she turns quickly to look at him. "He is fine, Lady Pentaghast." Daniel nods setting his blue eyes on her. "But do not be so sure that he wouldn't lay a hand on you. If your friend here hadn't stopped him.." Cassandra watches Daniel nod towards the Commander before he lowers his eyes and shakes his head.
"He needs your help." The Seeker replies quickly following the Mage when he turns to leave again. "You are the only one that can help us." Cassandra adds when he stops to look at her over his shoulder.
"But why should I help him?" Daniel asks turning back to her again, she watches him fold his arms across his chest. "He didn't help me." Daniel adds biting at his bottom lip, Cassandra deciding it must be a Trevelyan habit and ingrained in all three boys.
The Seeker sighs quietly, she didn't know the truth about Daniel and she didn't know if she ever would but he had to help them. Cassandra looks into his face for a moment wishing she could give him a hundred reasons as to why he should help her lover, she watches his mouth twitch into a smile when she doesn't answer.
"That's what I thought" Daniel nods.
"He is your Brother." The Seeker raises her voice, blurting out the first thing she can think of. Daniel laughs at her response when he lifts a hand to his face, he trails his fingers over his pale skin as if he is considering her answer.
"I'm afraid that doesn't work for me. The Inquisitor made it very clear that we are no longer Brothers." Daniel glances over to Lord Trevelyan who has stopped moving completely, he flicks his finger causing the Inquisitor to drop to the floor in a heap. Cassandra watches as Cullen goes over to him, checking that he is okay and that he is still breathing. "Anything else?" He smirks as he slides his hands down his dark green coat, smoothing it between his palms. The Seeker is sure that she can feel the space around them buzzing at the power that he holds within his body.
"I love him," Cassandra adds watching him lift his eyes to her again, she sees him begin chewing over this information. He makes a humming noise when he taps his finger against his chin. The Seeker watches a smile tug at the corner of his mouth when he drags his hands through his long blonde hair, tucking it behind his head so it is away from his face.
"That is a lovely sentiment." Daniel sighs as he gives her another smile. "Love is a great reason for me to want to save my dear Little Brother, this is true. I have to admit that love has been a driving force for me in the past. I can't deny you seem rather attached to him and I do owe me being here to you as well Lady Pentaghast." Daniel nods as he steps closer to her making the Seeker realise how much taller he is than her and that he towers over her smaller frame. "If you hadn't sent me that first letter, I would never have found out what had happened to Henry.." Daniel looks down at her.
"We are having a baby." The Seeker whispers looking into his face again, seeing it change when he hears her final answer. Cassandra feels her breath catch when Daniel places his hand on her cheek setting his eyes on her. She hears Cullen begin coming towards them when he sees that Daniel has his hands on her and that he might need to protect her from the blood mage.
"Now, that is the best reason why I should help you." Daniel nods dropping his hand from her face when he sees The Commander is glaring at him. "I could never deny a child, their Father. And a Father should never be without his baby." Daniel adds giving her a small smile. "But Lady Pentaghast, before you tell me what has happened to my Brother, I want you to tell me what you know about me and why you ever thought it would be a good idea to try and find me?" Cassandra watches Daniel look to the Inquisitor who lets out a groan when he starts to come to.
The Seeker watches his lips tug into a smile again when he steps away from her, the static charge of magic leaving her body when he isn't stood as close. The Seeker knew she had never met another Mage like his one before and it scared her, the raw power that ran through his veins was dangerous. Cassandra lets her eyes trail over him when he diverts his attention to the banging coming from the other side of the Chantry door that he has sealed with magic. He looked nothing like Ashton or Henry but the way that he carried himself you could see they were related, he was tall and angular, his body much sleeker than her lovers but his frame was broad and powerful. Whenever he set his gaze on her she felt like her cheeks were burning.
"All I have heard of you is how powerful you are, but they try not to speak of you." Cassandra begins making him look back at her again. "I have tried to get to know more about you, but they all shut down whenever your name is mentioned." The Seeker adds watching him sigh and drop his head. "You bring them pain and they won't talk about it" Lady Pentaghast whispers.
"The lies bring them pain, not me." Daniel gives a dry laugh when Cassandra looks at him. "If you even know my name, you are too nosey for your own good." Daniel chuckles making Cassandra feel more at ease.
"I've been told.." The Seeker drops her head and smiles when he turns his gaze to her again. "All I know of you is what I read in a book when we were trying to find out about Henry," Cassandra adds watching him nod at her words. "I know you are a Blood Mage." Lady Pentaghast feels the words catch on her tongue.
"Ah." Daniel nods crossing his arms again. "So now we get to the interesting part." He adds with a snort. "Tell me more, please Lady Pentaghast. I am all ears." He replies dramatically bending at the waist.
"Did you kill all of those people? Did you really nearly have Henry killed?" Cassandra asks forcefully, she suddenly feels guilty for pressing too hard when she watches him stand to his full height and drop his head again. He lifts his hand to his face pressing a finger against the spot between his eyes as if her questions are already bothering him.
"No, I did not kill all of those people." Daniel replies coolly "As for the second question my dear Henry nearly got himself killed." He adds with a sigh. "There is one thing you need to know about Lord Henry Trevelyan, Lady Pentaghast, and that is that every good thing you have ever heard about that man, every kind word you have ever heard uttered about him is completely untrue and based on a lie." Daniel adds watching as The Inquisitor begins sitting himself up, rubbing his painful head.
"I don't understand." Cassandra begins seeing Daniel huff.
"Henry was a fraud, a cheat and a liar. He tried to destroy my life and he tried to do the same to Ashton. Unfortunately, my younger brother is far too forgiving and let him get away with it, he idolised the man that he thought Henry was. The rest of what happened, well he was only a child and his memories are distorted. He remembers a very different version of our childhood with Henry." Daniel shakes his head again as if the memories are just as painful for him.
"Then tell me the truth, let me understand what happened." The Seeker reaches to place her hand on his arm when she sees that he is struggling to draw the words from his mouth. "Ashton loved Henry." Cassandra whispers which receives a laugh from Daniel.
"Henry didn't love him in return. He used Ashton, he hurt him and treated him like a dog." Daniel bites at his bottom lip again before looking back to Cassandra. "My family won't listen to me, they cast me aside because of his lies. I don't even know where to begin.." Daniel frowns slightly. "Henry was a bully, he used to be so unkind to us both when we were children. He was the golden boy and everyone loved him; that appears to have remained through to his death. He was a cruel child, the kind that would cause pain to his friends and siblings, that found pleasure in tormenting animals. I'm sure you have come across children like him." The Seeker sees him shake his head again.
"I'm not familiar with many children." Cassandra replies making him smile at her response, he fixes his eyes on her again dropping his eyes to her lips.
"His actions only got worse the older he got, he was much stronger than us both and he used that to his advantage. He would fly into fits of rage and we were always his target." Daniel sighs remembering the feel of his Brothers fists on him. "You know he tried to drown Ashton?" Daniel adds glancing at her, Cassandra was sure she felt the blood drain from her face.
"That's horrible.." She whispers watching Daniel nod again, The Seeker looks over her shoulder at Lord Trevelyan who is sitting still looking groggy with the Commander crouched in front of him.
"I don't think I need to share with you all of the horrors of our childhood with Henry, all you need to know is that he made our life awful. Ashton was young and like a puppy that follows you around obediently, no matter how hard he kicked him he was still loyal and would come back for more. I was glad of the day my magic first began to present itself because Henry turned his attention away from Ashton and only at me. I slept with a blade beneath my pillow from the age of ten, because his favourite game was to try and kill me while I slept." Daniel zones out for a moment, Cassandra notices the sadness in his eyes as if no one has listened to him before when he has tried to talk about this.
"What happened when you left for the Circle?" Cassandra asks drawing his attention back to her. The Seeker feels her breath catch again when Daniel approaches her, he steps close to her again letting his eyes search her face and she is sure he is going to touch her.
"Henry swore that he would become a Templar so that he could control his Mage Brother. I couldn't wait for the day that I would leave and join a circle because I know I would be safe from him. I worried for Ashton though; he still loved Henry and believed he could do no wrong. He passed off any insults and punishment that Henry directed at him as Brotherly Affection." Daniel chuckles "I came home as often as I could to make sure he was okay but by that time Henry had joined the Templars and was focusing his attention on his career. Life for a while was quiet, Henry had the Templars, I had my circle and Ashton was blossoming into a real pain in the backside." Daniel laughs again and looks at his Brother, Cassandra sees a real look of affection and love on his face.
"Why so?" Lady Pentaghast asks smiling when she sees him look at the Inquisitor. "I don't believe he was ever difficult." Cassandra laughs when Daniel looks back at her and gives her a raise of an eyebrow. She could imagine her lover being difficult as a young man, he was too fond of breaking the rules and doing the complete opposite of what he was told.
"Ashton had met Lady Annabelle by this point.." Daniel begins settling his eyes to hers again. "I'm sorry I have to mention her, but she has been hurt in this as much as he has.." Daniel adds giving her an apologetic smile. "I had found my perfect other half at my Circle." Cassandra sees him smile wistfully at the thought of her before he turns to burn his eyes into her again. "Henry was rising quickly through the ranks of the Templar Order. Unfortunately for all of those that he commanded his commendations and achievements were all other members of the Order, he would just lie and bully others into letting him take the praise. Once a bully, always a bully."
"Why did no one stop him? Didn't your parents see what he was really like? Why would any Templar let him get away with it?" The Seeker asks feeling like she suddenly has a hundred questions for the Mage. She knew there had been something off about Henry, she knew he wasn't everything that he appeared to be.
"Because they were scared of him, Lady Pentaghast. My Brother was well-practised in the art of manipulation, blackmail and brute force. He would threaten and harm anyone that would cross him. He managed to create a very tight circle of friends within the Templars that he promised the world to; he told them that if they supported him, he would help them achieve greatness. People do stupid things when they are promised greatness." Cassandra just nods at his words watching him step away from her. "My parents didn't know, he had them wrapped around his finger too. He was the golden boy as I said, they would never think badly of him. They had a difficult time accepting that I was a Mage and would be unable to be a Templar or work for the Chantry, so Henry was who they pinned all their hopes on." Daniel huffs slightly. "Ashton was younger and they were happy for him to forge his own path."
"What happened at the Circle?" The Seeker whispers watching his shoulders drop. "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't pry but I need to know. You are confirming everything I believed about Henry but I need to know that you aren't the murderer that they say you are." Cassandra adds watching him nod slowly.
"I assume, seeing as you are a Seeker, you have heard of the Right of Annulment?" Daniel drops his head again; he closes his eyes for a moment before looking to Cassandra who nods. Everyone knew about that; it was the code that meant if the Templar order believed a Mage was out of control or a danger to themselves and those around them, they could use fatal force against them and wipe out an entire circle. The use of the Right of Annulment was a greatly heated and argued matter, many believed it was the only way to truly keep people safe from Mages, others thought it was a tragic waste of life and a barbaric practice. "Lord Henry Trevelyan, the brave and fearless Templar, marched his men to my Circle and enacted the Right of Annulment. He claimed a dangerous Blood Made resided in the tower and that the Blood Mage had recently Fathered a child. A child that Lord Henry claimed was an abomination." Lady Pentaghast feels her breath catch in her throat at his words.
"Daniel.." She whispers seeing his shoulders drop again at the painful memory.
"My daughter was not an abomination" Daniel sobs suddenly breaking down in front of her. "My wife and child, Lady Pentaghast, were not dangerous or any threat to anyone. I loved them. I was not dangerous, I was just a man trying to protect his family when the Templars attacked us in the middle of the night." Daniel sobs again as the Seeker watches him drop to his knees. "We didn't even have a chance to escape. They killed everyone in their beds. My daughter. My whole world." He sobs lowering his head, letting his hair fall around his face. Cassandra notices that the Commander has noticed Daniels actions and is watching with concern on his face that this sudden display of grief might be dangerous.
"I didn't know." The Seeker whispers as she crouches in front of him placing her hand on his shoulder, she feels his body shake beneath her palm like she has done many times with the Inquisitor. Henry had ordered their deaths and no one had batted an eye. "I'm so sorry.." She adds looking into his face that he hides behind his hands.
"They destroyed everything they touched, but they left me to watch and left me to hold them in my arms until they had finished their destruction.." Daniel gulps a lungful of air trying to compose himself. "Forgive my grief, Lady Pentaghast," Daniel adds rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.
"Your grief is understandable." Cassandra whispers reaching to take his hand trying to offer him some comfort when it is her fault he is telling her all of this.
"As I said, I didn't kill the people in the tower. But I did kill those Templars. I tried to kill Henry but he begged me for his life and I couldn't do it. When I had him dangling over the edge of the tower, I couldn't end his life. So, I fled and I hid, like a coward. I travelled around for a few years until people started forgetting what I looked like and I could stay still without the fear of being captured. I heard that Henry had said he had refused to kill me, made him look like he was merciful but in reality, I decided to not end his life. It got back to me that he had been tried, I thought that he would be found guilty for his crimes but he wasn't. He was released and stripped of his title but he was free."
"That must have been terrible for you." Lady Pentaghast sighs when she sees him nod, he looks up at her again setting his now watery blue eyes on her. "I'm so sorry that you lost your family and your home." Cassandra adds watching him tuck his hair behind his ears again.
"I managed to stay close to Ostwick for some time, I missed home so much in those days and I missed Ashton. I missed my parents. They cut all ties with me as their son as soon as they heard the lies that Henry told them." Daniel sniffs. "I missed my Brother most of all," Daniel adds glancing to the Inquisitor again. "When I heard what Henry did to him it made me so angry, I wanted to rush home and confront him. But I was too scared of facing my family and too scared that Henry would have me killed even after he was dismissed from his Order."
"What do you know about what happened with Annabelle? I didn't even know she existed in the way that she does until we came here. The Inquisitor failed to mention their relationship to me." Cassandra sighs when Daniel gives her a reassuring smile.
"My little Brother is kind, but sometimes he keeps things to himself to save others getting hurt and he shouldn't." Daniel smiles at her again. "Word got to me that Ashton and Annabelle were due to be married, I, of course, wasn't invited. I had been having contacts keep an eye on Henry though and I know that he had tried to intimidate Anna from the moment he met her." Daniel adds.
"Intimidate Anna? We are talking about the same woman aren't we?" Cassandra chuckles at his idea of Lady Annabelle, she didn't seem like the kind of person that could be intimidated by anyone. She was a hard woman.
"Henry had already decided that he wanted Annabelle for himself, he was addicted to Lyrium by that point and completely out of control. He threatened her and manipulated her until she would do anything he asked of her, including leaving her beloved, your Inquisitor, at the alter." The Seeker feels her stomach lurch at his words, as far as she had been told Henry and Annabelle had been having an affair behind the Inquisitor's back but Daniel's story didn't match. "Please forgive me for saying this, but Annabelle loved Ashton, she did and I'm certain she still does. I heard that they were going to have a child and I was truly happy for them both. But Henry had got to her; he had twisted her around his finger and told her he would kill Ashton if she went through with the wedding. Henry stole Annabelle from Ashton and he forced her to marry him." Daniel shakes his head. "If she loved him even half as much as I loved my wife, which I believe she did, I can't imagine how it must have felt for Annabelle to be so terrified for Ashton's life that she would agree to marry a man that wanted to control her and force himself on her."
"But that isn't what happened." Lady Pentaghast whispers, feeling her eyes widen at this revelation. "Lady Annabelle chose Henry, they had been together in secret behind Ashton's back and she left him for Henry. I've seen her, she is grieving for him." Cassandra adds feeling like her own tears and threatening to fall.
"She is grieving for a man that gave her, her second child. That did share his life with her. But it wasn't her choice. Anna has kept up the pretence for all of these years that she was happy with him, but I know she wasn't. There was no secret affair or forbidden love. He manipulated her and crushed her spirit." Daniel gives her another apologetic look. "I'm sorry but I may not have been in the house but I was never far away from Ashton. I know that Henry purposely destroyed his life just because he could."
The Seeker feels that it is Daniel's turn to take her hand, giving her a squeeze to bring her back to him. Cassandra couldn't believe what she was hearing, Annabelle hadn't left Ashton to hurt him and betray him. She had left him because she feared for his safety and had been trying to protect him. When Lord Trevelyan had no intention of removing himself from a dangerous situation when Jack was born, Annabelle had driven him out to make him leave. She had been trying to keep him safe from Henry.
"That means Jack is his son." Cassandra sobs dropping Daniel's hand and jumping to her feet. "Why didn't someone stop him?" The Seeker shouts suddenly feeling overcome with anger and hurt. Henry had tried to destroy the lives of everyone around him, not satisfied at just hurting Daniel but leaving Ashton with nothing. "Maker. Why didn't you stop him?" Lady Pentaghast sobs again turning her back on him.
"He was out of control. Henry was dangerous. What was I supposed to do? You saw how they were, they won't even look at me. They would have thought that I was trying to get revenge for what he did." Daniel replies defensively when she turns to frown at him. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew about Jack being Ashton's Son?" Daniel climbs to his feet approaching her.
"Ashton doesn't even know the truth." The Seeker sighs "He believes Jack is Henry's son because he believes the lies that he was told. Henry told him he wasn't his son and that he wasn't wanted. He drove Ashton out of his home and took his family from him." Cassandra adds closing her eyes.
"I know. I was there." Daniel whispers approaching her. "I saw him return on the day that Jack was born and I saw the way that Henry treated him." Daniel chokes having to recall how it felt to see his brother in so much pain. "I saw him leave and never thought I'd see him again. Of course, I heard that Ashton had joined the Inquisition, and I'd heard that he had become Inquisitor." Daniel begins babbling as a smile creeps on to his face. "I was so proud of him when I heard. But not as proud as you have made me by telling me you are having a child together." He smiles at her.
"Why didn't you try and contact him?" Lady Pentaghast asks turning to him. "Am I really the first one that has tried to reach you, even after all this time?" Cassandra adds watching the smile slip from his mouth.
"I wrote to him every day in the beginning.." Daniel begins meeting her eyes with his with a nod. "But he began returning my letters, unopened." He sighs fixing his blues on her. "Soon I could only face writing to him every other day.. Then once a week.." Daniel scoffs and shakes his head sadly. "I have lost so many years with him. He was not much more than a boy when we last spoke." Daniel looks beyond her to his Brother again. "But yes, you are the first to try and find me and I'm glad that you did. When I received your first letter telling me of Henry's death I was relieved, almost free of the burden I've carried for all of these years. I wasn't going to do anything about your letter; I wasn't going to come here. But when you wrote to me again and told me that you believed Ashton had been cursed with Blood Magic. I couldn't not be here." Cassandra sighs with relief at his words.
"You still have time to make amends with him. There is still time to make people listen to you and for the truth to be known. Surely now Annabelle is free from Henry, she will back you up and I know that you know what a great man Ashton is." Lady Pentaghast nods as she follows his gaze to the Inquisitor. "He is good and he is kind. This anger you have seen in him isn't who he is. He is nothing like Henry." Cassandra adds placing her hands on Daniel's shoulders.
"I don't know if they would ever believe me. They loved Henry and my parents clutch so tightly to the image of him that they want to believe is the truth." Daniel sighs when Cassandra rubs his arms. "I don't know if Annabelle would ever betray the secrets he forced on her.." He adds. "But it makes me so happy to know what a good man he has grown into, despite everything that Henry put us through. I always knew that his heart was good and that he would do great things." Cassandra feels herself smile at his words.
"Just promise me you will try. They need their son Daniel, they need you and they need to know the truth. They all need the truth so they can heal and you can be a family again." The Seeker nods positively "I'm so sorry that all of those things happened to you." Cassandra adds watching him give her a reassuring smile that he was okay.
"Thank you, I appreciate that." Daniel smiles "I'm glad that Ashton has found happiness with you, I'll do whatever I can to rid him of this magic and protect him from what I can. Now you said in your letter that you believe it is a vial of yours and his blood that is causing the trouble? That it has caused him to act out of character and make him dangerous?" Daniel asks making Lady Pentaghast nod.
"Yes. At first, it was only when he wore it, but now even when he isn't it seems to be affecting him. What if we are too late?" The Seeker asks raising her fears to the Mage "I have it here.." She adds reaching into her pocket for the leather pouch that contains the vial. "Be careful," Cassandra whispers receiving a chuckle from Daniel, he was by far the most powerful Mage she had ever met so he didn't feel her warning was necessary. She watches at he reaches into his coat, pulling out a small concealed blade.
"Scary blood Mage, remember?" Daniel gives her a crooked smile before focusing on the pouch in her palm, she sees him carefully untie the cords with his fingers before using the knife to lift the vial from its holder. Cassandra glances over to the Inquisitor when she hears him groan. "This is incredibly powerful magic," Daniel whispers matching her look at Lord Trevelyan who appears to be in some pain when the vial is anywhere near him, even though he is some way away from them. "Where did you get this?" He asks drawing it closer to his face so he can inspect it.
"An elven Mage called Solas, he gave it to the Inquisitor as a Birthday gift but when he touched it against his hand it did something to him." Lady Pentaghast moves her eyes to the vial that he holds up, noticing that the blood that is always trying to direct itself towards whoever is holding it, is now trying to escape from Daniel's touch.
"Interesting.. I've never seen anything quite like this before," Daniel mumbles giving the vial a little shake causing the blood to split and begin thrashing angrily behind the glass. Cassandra sighs and drops her eyes believing he didn't know how to help them after all. "That's not to say I don't know what it is or how to deal with it. This is very dangerous, Lady Pentaghast. The effect this vial has on Ashton is nothing compared to what it would do to you if you touched it. This is very dark blood magic." He whispers drawing his eyes to her again. "I believe I know how to deal with this, but you aren't going to like it." Daniel gives her another smile to settle her sudden fear.
"What is that thing anyway?" Lady Pentaghast asks as she watches him tap his finger against the bottle making it sway again.
"This is what we like to call a Life and Blood Bond. If you want Ashton to live, you are going to have to die." Daniel replies fixing his blue eyes on her again when she feels the colour drain from her face.