"Lady Trevelyan! It is so happy to see you again," Seneshal Malles said as he approached the woman, with hands outstretched.
Stepping closer to the man, she hesitated in accepting his hand but allowed it to happen. "As I am of you," she said, keeping her voice calm and steady.
Part of her was expecting a knife to be shoved into her back from the moment she entered the front door of her family's home. She had been greeted by a variety of Ostwick citizens, servants, guards, and politicians since she rode through town. Iron Bull and Cullen kept close watch on her and those that approached to ensure her safety. Evelyn kept her hand on the small blade that was strapped to her belt, not taking any chances herself. It was still too early to know who could still be under her father's control and just what Luca had planned for her when she arrived.
"It is good to see you well," the seneschal said as he pulled away from her. He looked at her companions and motioned with his arm to the awaiting royal guards. "Gentlemen, we have arranged for you refreshments and drinks in the dining hall while Lady Trevelyan speaks with the bann."
"No," Evelyn said, shaking her head.
"My lady?" the seneschal questioned as he turned to look at her, a serious look of disappointment on his face. "The bann has requested to speak with you alone."
"And the bann is going to be sadly disappointed." Evelyn rested her hand on her sword pummel, squaring her shoulders as she stood straighter. "The bann can see all of us or – "
"Yes…yes, Lady Trevelyan," the seneschal backpeddled. His eyes wide, his forehead showing beads of sweat glistening from the early morning light shining through stain glass windows of the main hall. "Please forgive me, my lady."
Cullen stepped alongside her and turned his back to the seneschal. "I know this is not my place, Inquisitor. But we need to ensure diplomacy."
Her emerald eyes turned to meet his amber. The two stood there staring at each other, unmoving. Evelyn turned further to look over her shoulder at Dorian who tilted his head sideways with a half shrug. Turning back to Cullen, she nodded.
"You're right," she said, softly. "We…" She shook her head, sighing. "I need to calm down."
Nodding, Cullen gave her a reassuring smile. "You are doing far better than I would." He scratched the side of his head, glancing back at the politician. "Maybe take someone with you. The rest of us can stand outside and be ready if you need us."
Slowly nodding, Evelyn turned back to the seneschal. "Please, Seneschal Malles. You must understand considering recent incidents that I prefer to have a companion with me."
The man pulled a cloth from the folds of his robes to dab at the sweat covering his face. The round, pudgy face of the man was flush as he his eyes moved from her to the hulking Qunari standing behind her. "Uh…uh…yes, my lady."
"We'll hang out here, Boss," Bull said, glaring down at the seneschal as he folded his arms across his bare chest. His lips twitched into a smirk when he saw the man shake. Turning, he looked down at Dorian before turning back to her. "We got it. You and Cullen go hobnob."
Evelyn breathed in a long breath before slowly blowing it back out. Glancing out the corner of her eye, she saw the look on Cullen's face. He was just as surprised as she was that Bull would suggest they go together. Her gaze turned to Dorian who simply nodded. Turning once again, she was trapped under Cullen's gaze.
"Inquisitor?" Cullen said,
Pulling her attention away from Cullen, she turned back to the seneschal. "Commander Cullen will escort me, Seneschal Malles. Please see to my other companions."
The man nodded as he dabbed the sweat off his face once again. "Please follow me, Lady Trevelyan. Commander Cullen."
Smoothing her hand over her tunic, she second guessed herself about not wearing armor. She settled with dark leather leggings, a blue tunic with a black jacket and black boots. She wore her sword at her side with her hand never leaving the hilt. Holding her sword was more of a way to settle her trembling hands. Reuniting with Luca even for a minute was one more minute than she wanted to allow him. The only thing keeping her there and not running for the nearest boat to Ferelden was wanting to see her brother's face when she tells him what he can do with his "future plans" for her.
"Head held high. Don't let your anger get the best of you," Cullen whispered as they followed the man down the hallway towards the bann's private office. "Do not let him say or do anything to get you angered."
She turned her head slightly to look at him, frowning. He was right, she needed to keep her calm. Yet, hearing it come from him was her issue. Even after their argument last night, he was still telling her what to do. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, holding it.
"Center yourself, Eve," she thought to herself, clenching her left hand that was aching. Pursing her lips, she slowly blew the held breath back out. Whether it is Luca or Cullen telling her what to do or not to do was not going to make her lose control of herself or the mark on her hand. She was still questioning what abilities she had with the mark on her hand. Events of that day when her father tried to kill her still played in her memories. The only person she could discuss this with was Solas and he was still in Skyhold. Getting home was becoming more important than anything else. She needed answers to the many questions she had. About her mark. About the wardens. About what she needed to do to end this battle against Corypheus.
Simply nodding, she opened her eyes and turned away from Cullen. Looking at the seneschal, she motioned towards the door at the end of the hallway. "Seneschal, please."
The man nodded, a trembling hand reaching up to dab at his flushed face once again. "Ye…yes. This way."
Evelyn glanced down at her gloved left hand as she closed her hand into a fist. The pain was there, radiating across her fingers to her midarm. It had been worse before, especially when she's angered. "With any luck, it'll go off and suck Luca into the void," she thought, a faint smile curling her lips.
Malles opened the door to the office, stepping to the side slightly as he held the door open. "My Lord Trevelyan. Madame Inquisitor Lady Trevelyan and Inquisition Commander Cullen Rutherford."
Looking across the large office, Cullen saw a man standing behind the desk. He found himself staring back at a younger version of the father. The same black hair, pale skin, dark eyes and a smug smile on his face. Seeing the man across the room made Cullen's blood boil. The stories that he had heard from Maxwell and Evelyn about this man and after dealing with the torture he experienced himself at the hands of the father, he wanted to knock that smirk right off his face.
"It is so good to see you, sister," Luca said, walking around the desk, his hands still folded behind his back as he approached her. He stopped several steps away from her. His eyes staying focused on the younger sibling, never attempting to reach out to her to embrace her or so any affection. "I do hope your journey here from Starkhaven was well."
The commander's eyes shifted to look at the woman at his side. She held her ground, standing straight. An eyebrow lifted when he watched her take a step closer to him. His eyes moved back to the elder Trevelyan sibling to see him flinch as she narrowed the distance until she was within arm's reach of her brother.
"It was wonderful, dear brother. The path between Starkhaven to Ostwick is always a pleasant, scenic journey." She tilted her head slightly, a half grin on her face. "Allows a person to contemplate life. To consider how the past cannot prey on the present or the future."
Clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth, Luca's smug smile grew wider as he looked over his sister. "Still playing with the big boys. Thinking you're able to take on men twice your size," he said. Turning, he looked at Cullen and eyed him up and down as well. "And Commander Rutherford. I'm under the impression that you are overseeing her. To ensure that she is kept under control."
Cullen's head turned slightly to look at her, but her eyes stayed focused on her sibling. Her eyelids had narrowed as she glared at him. Her right hand gripped the hilt of the sword at her side. Without needing to look, Cullen knew her left hand was balled up in a fist.
"Commander Rutherford is under my command. He is my advisor. Nothing more."
The Commander watched as Evelyn took another step closer to her brother until the tips of her dirt covered boots were touching his. Her chest pressed against his. Her head tilted just enough to look up at him, keeping her eyes intently focused on his.
"I would refrain from continuing this line of communicating before something happens, Luca," Evelyn said. "I am not uncertain that you did not have a role in father's plans. That you conspired to not only harm myself but that of Commander Rutherford." Her hands lifted and she began to smooth down his silk cravat, a twisted smile on her face. "Now…Luca. How will all of the Free Marches feel if they find out that you were involved with father's conspiracy to kill Prince Vael and take over Starkhaven." She tightened the cravat a bit more. "How would they feel, knowing that you may take up the banner and continue where he left off."
The older Trevelyan swallowed hard as he lifted his hands to remove hers away from him. Stepping backwards, he began to put distance between them. "Even as a child, you always were one for hollow threats, dear Eve."
Folding her arms across her chest, she shook her head. "Nothing hollow about this. The Maker as my witness, I will send a storm through Ostwick that you won't see until it is too late." A hand lifted slightly so she could scratch the side of her head. "Try me, Luca. I'm not the frightened little girl in pigtails that you can push around anymore."
The brother released a snort, shaking his head as he turned to walk back to his desk. He turned back around, placing his hands on his desk to lean forward. "Oh, I see."
"No, I don't think you do, Luca. I'm telling you right now and this will be the final time I'm saying it. You will leave Maxwell alone. If you or any of your men come near him, I will come back with an army." She took a step closer to the desk. "I will destroy you, Luca."
"You're threats don – "
"Oh no. These aren't threats, brother," Evelyn said, placing her hands on the desk to lean forward slightly to bring her gaze back to his again. "What I said in Redcliffe to the King of Ferelden was a threat. What I'm telling you right now, is far from a threat. It's a guarantee that I will be back with reinforcements."
"I'm sure you think that your little rogues and mercenaries think that you can march into Ostwick and take it over, but you know nothing about our forces. It's all fantasy."
"Try me, Luca," she said, keeping her voice steady and face expressionless.
Evelyn did not know how she had managed to make it this far without backing down. After what her father and the guard captain had done to her – to Cullen – she was determined that this would not happen to anyone again, especially Maxwell. She would send him to Tevinter before anything or anyone hurt her brother.
"Very well. Leave our brother with the dog lords and rabble of Ferelden for that is where you wish for him." He straightened himself, tugging at the hem of his jacket to pull it down. He turned to look at Cullen. "I'm sure he'll fit in quite well there, don't you think, Commander Rutherford?"
The thought of Evelyn or Maxwell coming from this family was unbelievable. After dealing with the father and now the older sibling, he could only hazard a guess that the younger siblings followed the departed mother. Counting his blessings, it could have been the elder Trevelyan sibling that made that fateful journey to the Conclave. Cullen shivered at the thought.
"Lord Maxwell has taken a large role in training and recruiting mages from all about Ferelden and Orlais," Cullen said. "His knowledge has been grateful."
"I'm sure it is." Luca turned away from Cullen to face his sister once again. "I have received word from several members of royalty. Neverra, Orlais, among others that have requested your hand."
Shaking her head, she smiled. "They're too late. I'm spoken for."
"What?" Cullen asked from behind as Luca said, "By whom?" at the same time.
Evelyn ran a finger over the front of her hair to push a stray lock back from her forehead. "I have had someone approach me in Starkhaven and requested to court me," she said. She could feel both men staring at her impatiently waiting for an answer to their questions. "I accepted the request."
"Not without my approval you will not," Luca said, his fist coming down on the desktop. "I have control over – "
"No, you don't. You do not have control over me any longer, Luca. Why do you keep insisting that you do?" Placing her hands on her hips, she shook her head. "As I said, this will be the end of you telling me what I can or can't do." When her brother began to speak, she pointed at him. "Don't you even dare say anything else. I have said what I wanted to say today to you. This is finished."
Luca began to stammer as she turned to leave the office. "You can't walk out of here, Evelyn!"
"Watch me," she said, reaching for the door handle. She pulled it open and walked out without another word or glance at her brother or the man that was picking up pace to catch up with her again.
Cullen chased after her as she walked through the corridor until she was standing outside in the courtyard. When he found her, she was hunched over, hands gripping her knees with her head bowed low. She was breathing hard and fast, her face extremely pale as her entire body trembled.
"Evelyn…" he said softly, approaching her carefully not to startle her. When she did not respond, his hand reached out to place it on her shoulder. "Evelyn, are you well?"
She shook her head. "I'm a fool."
"I would disagree," he replied as he smiled at her. "You handled that bravely."
"I didn't handle anything, Cullen," she said, turning her head to look at him. "I went in there to discuss trade, alliances between the Inquisition and Ostwick. All I did was make hollow threats of coming back when I want nothing to do with this place any longer." Evelyn staggered as she stood up. Cullen catching her so she didn't fall over. "Thank you."
Shaking his head, he continued to hold her forearm and hand from when he helped her up. "We'll leave the politics to those that can handle it better than you or I would."
Her head slowly nodded, closing her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Her ears pounding from her heart beating so fast. "Good thing we have Josephine and if she can't do it, then we'll just send Leliana."
He chuckled, nodding his head. "I'm sure they can handle everything."
Her eyes opened to find Cullen still holding her hand. Eyes lifting, she met his gaze. "Please…"
Realizing what she meant, he released his hold and took a step back from her. Taking a long breath, he said, "I must question you about what you said."
He paused, lifting his hand to rub the back of his neck. His eyes strayed from hers to look up into the midafternoon sky. Evelyn frowned as she looked at him. If she was going to work with him daily, she needed to get over how she felt that whatever animosity she had for him needed to be put aside. Just as she worked out her differences with Sera, she could do it with Cullen as well.
"There you are!" Dorian shouted across the courtyard as he walked towards them with Bull walking closely behind him. "Were you just leaving us here to fend for ourselves?"
Evelyn pulled her attention away from Cullen to face Dorian. "I'm sorry, Dorian. I couldn't be in there any longer."
"So, it went just as well as we thought it would," he said as he wrapped his arm around hers. "I was expecting the roof to start falling on us."
Cullen stood rooted in place as Evelyn and Dorian walked away, conversing. She had stood up for herself with her brother, something she had not have been able to do before all of this started with the father. She had changed a great deal since this all began. Since their heartfelt conversation in the chantry at Amaranthine.
"You're a fool, Rutherford," he thought as he followed his companions towards the stables.
