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Charlotte stared at the door that just closed behind Chancellor Roderick. The old man figured that there's no use in spewing his poison around anymore.
"Do not mind the Chancellor. It's understandable that he struggles…" Leliana noted with a sigh and Charlotte turned around to face her and Cassandra.
"I actually am quite familiar with prickly old priests." Charlotte replied with a lenient smile and a shrug. "What I am not used to, are blackouts and waking up to unknown places." She smirked. "Not that I am complaining about the accommodation… I believe that I owe you my thanks for bringing me down that mountain."
Cassandra smiled at her. "We should all be thankful to you. You agreed to help us willingly… you did not hesitate even though it could have killed you."
Leliana nodded in agreement and added "And we still need your help. Solas thinks that another attempt at closing the Breach should be successful, but the mark needs much more power. We need to discuss the strategy with the rest of our council. Help us fix this. Before it's too late."
Charlotte blinked in confusion. "Well… it's not like I have any other option right? I mean… Don't get me wrong… I'm glad that the mark has some other purpose apart from killing me…" Charlotte sighed and rubbed her temple. "I'm sorry, don't mind me ranting… Of course the Breach and the remaining rifts need to be dealt with... If you are truly trying to restore order, I will help. You did mention the rest of the council?"
Cassandra cleared her throat. "I am glad you are wise enough to see reason… Honestly… I'm not sure how I would take it, were I in your place. And yes. Commander Rutherford and Ambassador Montilyet should be joining us any moment now."
"Trust me, I want to see this mark gone just as much as you want to see it all solved. It feels… too unnatural. And I believe that is a strong argument, considering I am a mage and magic basically runs through my veins." Charlotte played with the crystal on her choker, trying to hide a hint of nervousness in her voice. So she was supposed to cooperate with the Templar as well…
His slightly arrogant 'welcome' at the Temple came to her mind. She frowned a little, not sure what to expect from him. Of course they were supposed to cooperate. As if it all wasn't hard enough so far.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a clacking of heeled boots on the floor. The woman who entered the war room was dressed in a golden ruffled finery and had a charming smile on her face.
"I see that Lady Herald joined our meeting already. The Commander will be joining us in a moment. I believe he was discussing some urgent business with Knight-Captain Rylen." She chirped with a strong Antivan accent. "Allow me to introduce myself. Josephine of house Montilyet. Lead Diplomat and Ambassador to The Inquisition."
Charlotte nodded with a small smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Lady Josephine."
"I am deeply sorry about the accomodation we were able to provide my Lady. I am sure that you are accustomed to higher standards." Charlotte widened her eyes at Josephine in surprise but she did not have time to answer. She was interrupted by Commander Cullen entering the war room in a hurry.
"Please excuse my late arrival. Have you already begun?" He looked around the war room finally realizing there was one more woman than usual and he fixed his gaze on Charlotte. "Lady Herald… I am glad to see you are well." He cast down his gaze.
Did he really just shift his weight nervously? "Thank you Commander." Charlotte noted in reply as she watched Cullen take his place at the other side of the war table right against herself. His tension was apparent from the moment he saw her.
Leliana and Josephine stood next to him and Cassandra joined Charlotte at the other side of the table and she began to speak.
"We were not waiting at all, Commander. We have met here to discuss the matters of gaining enough support to close the Breach." She looked at Leliana. The red haired woman began to brief the council.
"I have already sent the ravens to announce the forming of The Inquisition. Herald's mark needs more power, I believe that's why we need to approach the rebel mages for help."
Cullen interrupted her. "And I still disagree strongly." His face was grim and resolute. "The Templars should be our first option."
Charlotte glanced at him as he continued to frown. She crossed her arms on her chest, subconsciously trying to brace herself, feeling a spark of anger building in her chest.
Now, now Commander... Your Templar is showing. She thought. This man seemed like a pure example of why the Templars and mages were not able to work together. So much prejudice. Hatred even…
"The mark needs more power to close the Breach Commander." Cassandra argued.
"The Templars can suppress the Breach." Cullen was not leaving his case. "I was a Templar. I know what they're capable of!" He barked back at Cassandra.
...was a Templar? So he no longer is one? Can one really leave the order? Charlotte watched their debate, hesitant to intervene. The mages would be her first choice as well… not only because she was one. It just made more sense to her. There may even be some mages from Ostwick among the rebels. Maybe some of the people she knew survived after all. Oh what would she give for a familiar face... However, she doubted that her opinion would help.
"Suppressing the Breach makes no sense. The mark is the only key to closing it. Pouring enough power into it..."
"...might destroy us all." Cullen added spitefully.
Leliana looked at him, and interrupted him quickly. "That is just a speculation, Cullen..." He glared at Leliana coldly.
Josephine hesitated for a moment and finally spoke out, trying to ease the situation. "There is no use in arguing about the side we would pick. Neither of the groups will even speak to us yet. The Chantry has declared us heretics for proclaiming individuality and for harboring said 'Herald of Andraste'. Looks like our friend Roderick has already been advancing his efforts…"
Charlotte cleared her throat. "Excuse me… I am not some kind of self proclaimed godsent moonstruck… How would they think that I am the Herald of Andraste?! The Chantry despises my kind… And there surely must be a rational explanation to all this Breach madness..."
Cassandra smiled at her. "The people need hope, Enchanter Trevelyan. They've seen what you have done at the Temple. And Chantry fears you. They fear the hope might come from a mage. It would mean they had been wrong about a lot of things…"
"...Meaning I would be showcased and used as some kind of sacred icon…? Charlotte frowned. "I don't like that… At. All. And I bet my Chantry driven family would not be happy about it either. " Then she continued with a sigh "However… I can see your point… But don't expect me to act out miracles and give sermons along the way. I will let you call me Herald only if it helps us to gain the power we need."
The red haired rogue moved to the south part of a huge map which was on the war table. "Well… now that this is settled… There might be something we can do about our stalemate." Leliana smirked. "There is a Chantry Cleric who asked to speak to Lady Herald. Her name is Mother Giselle. She is stationed in The Hinterlands, where the worst of the fighting is happening right now. Her assistance and influence may prove valuable."
Charlotte bit her lip and pouted it a little. "Alright. I will go to the Hinterlands and meet Mother Giselle." Cassandra nodded in approval. "Agreed. I will accompany you. We will leave at noon."
Commander stayed quiet since Leliana cut the argument. He just stood there, glaring around. Charlotte glanced in his direction a few times, only to notice his strained expression. Was she looking for any sign of approval? She wondered whether it would be like this everytime. How were they supposed to work together? Charlotte sighed and reached for the amethyst on her choker - the simple gesture of comfort.
Josephine's dashing smile appeared again. "Great, the Herald would be most suited for recruiting new agents. Meanwhile, we need to figure out how to gain more support. We cannot leave this to The Herald alone."
Josephine waited for the rest of them to leave the war room and stopped Charlotte midway. "Lady Trevelyan… would you like to… inform your family?"
"I haven't been a true 'Lady Trevelyan' since I was eleven… Please, call me Char or Charlotte…" She replied to Josephine. "Yes… and thank you… I would appreciate it if I can borrow parchment and quill. I believe my mother would be happy to hear that I survived the Conclave…"
Charlotte left the war room with mixed feelings. Cullens harsh reaction crept on her mind… However, she decided to worry about that later. They will be spending a few weeks on the road after all and there will be plenty of time to think about the Commander… there's no harm in trying to figure the man out, right?
She stopped by at Josephine's office at the chantry to pick up the parchment and quill and spent the rest of her time before their departure writing a note to her parents at Free marches.
A few hours ago, an elven messenger informed her to pick up her new staff and traveling gear at Inquisition's smithy which was located outside the gates, and also, to Charlotte's pleasure, next to the stables.
Harrit did a great job in crafting her new gear. He even equipped her with light but sturdy iron staff and a new set of light armor, similar to the clothes she already got. She was surprised to find out that the man was familiar with the link between schools of magic and a staff material. The word of her lightning trick at the Temple travelled quickly, as it seemed.
Charlotte could not resist the temptation to peek into the stables right after she had a little chat with Harrit. To her disappointment, the stables were unfortunately mostly empty, however she almost shivered in anticipation as they were supposed to try to convince a Fereldan horse breeder Master Dennet to supply mounts for the Inquisition while on their mission to meet Mother Giselle.
She smiled at the thought, as she passed through the stables, stroking a few curious noses which poked to the dark stable aisle, inhaling the familiar smell of hay along the way. If there was something she truly missed from her past life as a nobility, it definitely was horses. Her house was famous for their steeds, they even had a horse in their crest and she remembered spending a lot of time in the stables, much to her mother's disapproval. That was a very long time ago indeed… It almost felt like a different reality.
Charlotte made her way to the gate, where they were supposed to meet with Varric, Solas and Cassandra, and sat on the little wall which offered a great view of the fields in front of Haven. Their troops had built tents north from the gate and there were training grounds too. She spotted Commander Cullen who was just finishing forenoon drills with the soldiers. His armor sparkled in the sun and Charlotte couldn't help herself but to admire the way he moved as he sparred with one of the higher ranking soldiers. Her grandfather would definitely approve… she thought, as Cullen stopped to lecture the soldier about his shield technique. She watched him explain the technique to his sparring partner, looking very patient, but stern as well. She was quite surprised to see how many men have joined their cause despite all the Chantry propaganda…
"Ahem... " Somebody cleared his throat a few steps away from her, suddenly startling her and she quickly glanced in the direction it came from, to meet an amused hazel gaze. "Don't let me interrupt Specter… You look like you were rather preoccupied there." Varric grinned at her and let out a raspy chuckle.
Was she staring at the Templar? For how long has the dwarf been standing there?
"You got me there, Varric." Sweeping a lock of her silvery hair out of her eyes as she jumped down the wall, she digressed. "I was thinking about whether you ever get cold, parading your chest like that all the time."
He humored her, wiggling his eyebrow. "Oh, I don't get cold. Remember, the chest hair." She noted to herself to be more careful next time she lets her mind wander.
Cassandra and Solas soon joined them and they set out towards the Hinterlands.
It has been almost two weeks since they left Haven.
The Hinterlands were beautiful, if you ignored the rogue templars and mages on every corner, fighting not only themselves but also everyone who encountered them. Charlotte could not complain however. It has been great training for all of them and the longer they spent together, the more cooperated and efficient their small party got.
Despite the difficulties and the given circumstances Charlotte enjoyed every moment of being on the road. She had to admit that being away from The Circle felt like a whole new world… She never left Free Marches before and the only way she was allowed to explore the wonders of Thedas was through the books in Ostwick's Circle library. Even though she had been terribly tired everyday and most of the time she felt every muscle aching in her body, she was happy. They spent some of the evenings sharing stories with Varric and Cassandra and she often delved into deep conversations about The Fade with Solas. His knowledge of the realm was fascinating.
She spent some time with Cassandra, learning how to write field reports properly… that was definitely one of the boring parts. They were supposed to report to the advisors located in Haven.
They managed to help the refugees of The Crossroads, and met mother Giselle there. Charlotte was surprised how open minded Mother Giselle was. She even agreed to come with them to Haven. They finally had one Chantry cleric who could see reason and who was willing to support them openly.
The horse master was a completely different story though. The stubborn veteran refused to give out the best of his herd and Charlotte could not blame him. He agreed to help the Inquisition under the condition of securing the farmlands and building the watchtowers on the hills surrounding the countryside, which required the party to go back to Haven to pick up more soldiers and supplies. Charlotte and Cassandra managed to convince the man to provide at least a few horses for them to travel back quickly.
Charlotte was happily trotting on the back of a spirited dark bay mare followed by the rest of the party. They have been riding towards the Frostback mountains for a few hours already. When the gates of Haven finally appeared in front them, she gave out a thankful sigh… there were butterflies in her stomach too. She felt like she knew why…
Even though he has not spoken directly against her, Commander's cold approach caused her to not look forward to meeting him again to report the outcome of their mission... She still felt bitterness about his apparent distrust in mages.
They stopped at the stables and she hopped off the mare and gave her a pat while she fished out a piece of carrot from her pocket and offered the treat to the animal. The horse gratefully nudged her hand, begging for more which made Charlotte chuckle. Their stable hands offered to take care of the horse, but Charlotte insisted she would do it herself. Plus it made a great excuse to postpone her meeting with the advisors.
She hid her face in the mare's long mane and rested her forehead on her neck. The mare turned her head to reach Charlotte's pockets again in a search for more carrot bits, which made Charlotte giggle. The mare snorted out in disappointment when she found out there were none left.
"You already robbed me of them you cheeky little lady…" Charlotte whispered to the mare quietly and gave her a final pat before she left the stables.
The war council agreed to meet right before the supper time, so she still had almost two hours left to freshen up. She arrived at her cottage and filled a basin with water from a pitcher. The one of the great things about being a mage was that she could warm her water up anytime she wanted… no kettles and no waiting. Just one little fire spell and the water was steaming. She smirked and proceeded to take off her light armor. She washed up the sweat and dirt with lilac soap and also washed her hair. Charlotte put on a clean white shirt and a pair of brown leather breeches afterwards, along with a well fitted short black overcoat. She twisted her wet hair into a low bun and left her cottage. The cold of the mountain air made her shiver a little and she wrapped her woolen cloak tighter around herself. The light grey fur of the mantle tickled her chin as she made her way to the Chantry to meet with the rest of the council.
As she approached the Chantry she stopped for a moment to listen. Was that shouting? Charlotte couldn't distinguish how many of them, but something was clearly happening. She quickened her steps, following the sound. There were groups of mages and Templars right in front of the Chantry door, both groups looking as if they were about to rip each other's throats.
The shouting was getting clearer as she got closer.
"Your kind killed the Most Holy!" a young angry looking man in Templar armor was staring down another in a robe.
"That's not true! YOUR kind let her die!" The mage snarled back at the Templar and she felt a pull in the Veil as he started to gather his energy to strike.
Charlotte hurried to stop the nonsense, and seconds before the bickering men could even notice her, the Chantry door suddenly flew open as Cullen rushed to step right between the groups, pushing the men away from each other resolutely.
"Knight-Commander!" The Templar gasped with a clear Marcher accent.
Cullen shot an angry look at the man. "That is NOT my title. We are no Templars anymore." His voice rang with authority and Charlotte stepped back intuitively. "There is no 'us' and 'them'! We are all part of the Inquisition!"
"Oh and we can't wait to see the order you and your so-called Herald of Andraste promised to restore!" A shiver of disgust ran down her back as she recognized the voice which came from behind her. Charlotte frowned and looked around her shoulder.
"Chancellor Roderick!" She chirped in pretense excitement. "I believe your journey to Val Royeaux went well? The Chantry is surely eagerly awaiting our visit, right?"
Cullen took a few steps towards Charlotte's direction as he finally noticed her when she addressed the Chancellor.
"You all… get back to your duties." Cullen ordered and the crowd started to disperse quickly.
"Haven't you done enough Chancellor?" Cullen asked as he folded his arms glaring at the zealot.
Charlotte joined Cullen's side and did not let the Chancellor speak.
"Commander, please remind me again why are we letting this man walk around freely?" She grinned at Cullen.
"... his teeth are too blunt to bite. There is no point in turning him to a martyr while they conveniently sweep 'The Herald' under the carpet."
Chancellor gasped at the words, incapable of any reply. He just closed his mouth and gritted through his teeth viciously "Val Royeaux Chantry's representatives will be more than happy to meet your Herald." And he turned on his heel and left towards the inn.
Charlotte watched the old man as he walked away. They stood in silence for a moment.
"I will have to go to Val Royeaux, right?" She finally said quietly and let out a frustrated sigh.
Cullen turned to look at her. "I don't believe that is the best idea. We cannot be sure what will really be waiting for you over there… there is no way we can allow them to capture you." He noted.
Charlotte stared at him and watched his distressed expression for a moment, no witty response coming to her mind. The way he said the last part of the sentence made the butterflies reappear, this time for a whole different reason…
Their eyes were still fixed at each other. She finally broke the stare and she put a rogue lock of her hair behind her ear.
"We should go…"
"Ahem…right…" Cullen cleared his throat as he closed the Chantry door behind her.
They walked side by side in awkward silence.
"… I read your reports from the Hinterlands. You did a good job negotiating with Dennet. Fereldans are not particularly willing to help anyone, not even their fellow countrymen…"
Charlotte smiled. "He is a rather distinctive fellow, that is true..."
And the awkward silence crept around them again…
She felt a wave of relief when he opened the war room door and let Charlotte step in first, but it was quickly gone, because they found the war room empty. Cullen took his usual place against her at the war table and began to organize a pile of reports nervously.
Charlotte watched him. This was the first time they were left alone together. "So… can you send soldiers to the Hinterlands with us to build the watchtowers?"
He raised his head and smirked at her. "Actually… I have decided to go with the troops myself."
"Oh… okay." She played with her choker and bit her lip and noticed his eyes went down to watch the little gesture.
"I will head to Val Royeaux with Cassandra and Varric then." she noted.
"I've already told you that I don't think it is a good idea." Cullen frowned.
"And what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to strut to the capital of Orlais with a battalion instead? Do you really think that would send a good message?" She crossed her arms on her chest as she frowned back. The butterflies were finally gone, completely replayed with annoyance. She almost felt grateful for his one-sidedness. The thing which really fascinated her was how stoic he managed to act, despite the clear storm of emotion in his amber eyes.
The moment Cullen was about to say something in reply, Josephine, Cassandra and Leliana walked into the war room, interrupting the debate. They surely must have heard them, because Cassandra stood at Charlotte's side and spoke out.
"I will accompany her, Cullen. We will get in contact with the Templars as well. We can kill two flies with one stone."
"The Templars?" Charlotte asked in confusion. "I don't recall us discussing this…"
"There is a good chance that the Order will lend us their voice and support us. We need allies."
"Yes. And that is exactly why we should go to Redcliffe and recruit the mages." Charlotte argued.
"I never said that we will not do that." Cassandra added with a sly smile on her face.
Charlotte glanced at Cullen. His expression was stoic and he was looking at Cassandra. Then he looked at her and the suspense she felt every time their eyes met was back. The mix of frustration and strain in his eyes made her body tingle.
"I still think the Templars should be the only group we approach, but I have been outvoted apparently… Me and my men will leave for the Hinterlands at will hopefully get back with the horses master Dennet promised you."
She kept her eyes on him. Of course he would try convincing them to ditch the mages again… She almost felt sorry for the man. He seemed like the decent sort and has already stated that he had nothing to do with The Order anymore… Why was he still so bitter about the topic?
Leliana's brief cough forced Charlotte to look at her.
"... I asked about the scout problem you encountered, Lady Herald." Charlotte blinked in confusion. She did not realize Leliana was talking to her and blushed at the sudden realization that she must have been staring at Cullen. Again.
"... oh, right. Forgive me, I got carried away for a moment..."
They proceeded to discuss the possible strategy for Val Royeaux and when they finally left the war room, the sun was already down. Leliana and Josephine suggested having dinner together at the Chantry, and they all agreed.
Charlotte was surprised that Commander joined them. He kept quiet most of the time, except for an occasional smirk.
They all ate supper together and shared some smalltalk.
Charlotte admitted that it was a good idea. Josephine told them of diplomatic missives and accusations of heresy which were delivered to her office constantly. The time flew by and even though she would like to stay longer, the tiredness from the journey started to wear on her.
Charlotte tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and got up. "All right… Thank you for the distraction. It was nice to get to know you all a bit more. I need to admit though, that during those two weeks a normal bed was what I missed the most..." She picked up her woolen cloak and scarf.
"Oh I still need to finish some letters, so I'm gonna take my leave as well…"
Cassandra and Leliana decided to take a quick look at some reports. They all walked to the Chantry's main hall, where their ways separated.
A sudden realization that she and their Commander were headed the same way made her a little nervous.
"So… you chose to stay with the troops?" She asked him, trying to maintain a light conversation as he held the Chantry door for her and they walked through the quiet Village.
"Yes. How could they trust me and respect me, if they wouldn't see me as one of them? My place as a Commander is among my men. I believe the trust is something earned and I wish to help my soldiers build it." He explained. His voice was warm and she felt sorry that it was so dark… the amber of his eyes really fascinated her.
A spark of curiosity ignited in her mind. "Hmm… interesting. It surely makes sense Commander. Is this what they taught you in the Order then? It does not seem like the… usual Templar approach. At least not the one I am used to."
"Well… not exactly… you see, I was the second in command to Knight-Commander Meredith when Kirkwall Circle fell… I learned a great many things during my years over there." He chuckled quietly. "But not from the Order directly…More likely from the people and from my mistakes. I feel like I still am learning from them. Might I ask, Lady Herald? Do you miss the Circle?"
Charlotte raised an eyebrow at him. Would admitting that she did not miss it lead to another mage - Templar bicker which was slowly becoming their thing?
"Would it be selfish to admit that I don't? My magic manifested when I was about 12 years old… my own family put me there as if I was some kind of dangerous trinket, which needed to be kept away from prying eyes." Then she sighed and continued, trying to hide the apparent sadness in her voice. "The only thing to miss from the Circle are my friends..."
"Are they still at Ostwick?" He asked.
"No… The Ostwick Circle had riots just weeks after the Kirkwall Chantry incident… The word travelled quickly through Free Marches and some of the Templars felt like it was their time to deal with us as they wished apparently…" Her voice faltered. "I'm sorry… can we speak of something else?"
"Oh... I...uh… excuse me, my Lady. I had no idea…" Cullen said softly. There was sincere regret in his voice. He felt a sudden urge to pull her in his arms and make the pain go away... Whatever happened there, it definitely struck her deeply.
"You couldn't have known…" She whispered politely. "It feels like ages ago…"
He realized that even though they walked slowly, subconsciously prolonging their walk, they already were at the gate where the pathways crossed. Her cottage was not far away from them.
"Trust me my Lady, when I say that I am sure I can understand whatever happened at Ostwick… We both have found ourselves on a very complicated and uncertain ground during the Kirkwall rebellion... " He noted and smiled at her softly.
"If you ever wish to talk…" He stopped himself. What was he trying to offer here? That was definitely highly inappropriate. Or was it? Why would it be inappropriate?!
"Ahem…" She did not know how to respond to that. That was definitely surprising to Charlotte. Was this a peace offering? They have hardly been on bad terms however. Her heart started to beat quickly in her chest. She realized they stood there in silence for a good amount of time.
"... Well… I will keep that in mind… I believe this is where we part. Thank you for the company Commander."
His hand lifted to rub the back of his neck nervously. "It was my pleasure." Cullen replied simply and watched her as she disappeared in her cottage.