Dorian sat in the Navigator's quarters reading a book he had brought along on the journey. A tomb from brother Genitivi about Tevinter when the door opened. There stood Captain Michela, her eyes swollen, and her face flushed in the light from the door. She closed it and stepped inside the room and blocked the door with a chair. Which she then sat in.
"Well this is a surprise," Dorian said marking his page and closing the book. "You aren't here to kill me are you?"
She shrugged off her leather jacket and wiped the sweat from her face. Silent at first. He watched the loose cannon of a mage cautiously.
"I need to know if the rite of Tranquility can be reversed." Michela bluntly asked.
"I'm afraid it's not possible." He replied just as blunt.
"Don't." Michela punched the chair in a sudden burst of aggression, but quickly calmed herself. "Don't lie to me, I've spent my life discerning lies better spun than you can compare to. Is it true that the Inquisition discovered the right of Tranquillity can be reversed or not?" Michela looked extremely agitated. Her hands shook even as she tried to play it off that they weren't. Dorian put the book down on the bed and stood up.
"Yes, the inquisition found information about reversing the rite of tranquillity, but I was not made privy to those secrets." He explained.
"I need you to do it to me, to take my magic away and then bring me back from it. It's perfect. The dreams, the nightmares… the voices. Finally, they will be gone and I can be free."
"No, I won't make you into… one of them," he replied flatly.
"You promised me if you ever discovered a way to stop the dreams you would tell me about it!"
"Yes, but making you Tranquil and then hoping some rituals from an old tome will return your mind is not the answer!" Dorian raised his voice, "despite our falling out and tortured past etcetera, etcetera. I don't wish to see you reduced to such a state!"
"No! You don't get to do that! The day you walked away from me was the moment I knew you didn't want what was best for me. Only yourself. You knew what he was doing to me and you promised." Michela spoke in one breath until she lost it. An emotional outburst of extreme pain and anxiety was not stopped as tears flooded her face.
"And I didn't expect my father to send me to Minrathous to try and 'fix me. You were not the only one having a rough childhood. Crying about it isn't going to change anything though, is it? Let's just calm down," Dorian replied in a reserved manner and tried to take Michela's arm to take her to the other bed so she could be more comfortable.
"You promised to take me away to a better place." Michela sobbed and slapped away his hand as he attempted to touch her. "Don't touch me!" Michela said and stood up from the chair and paced the room. Dorian backed off and gave her space.
"It's the worst, the nightmares are the worst. I sleep in a bog of terror as wolves tear apart my bones, and they talk to me now. Whispering curses." Michela recalled her dream and looked out the window over the glittering waters of the waking sea. Dorian pulled the chair away from the door while she was distracted and it swung open a crack.
"I thought the circle was helping you keep those under control. What happened?" He asked.
"Ghilana Heem, garas quenathra Fen'Harel ma. Bellanaris Din'an Fen'Harel ma halam." Michela rambled as if the voices from the well of sorrows had reached her ears. Dorian only recognized bits and pieces of what she said.
"When it happens, what will happen to me?" Michela asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Dorian shook his head.
She didn't react at first, Michela merely caught his gaze and Dorian could see the green magic of the rifts swirling in her eyes.
"You signed on with the Inquisition right? We have lots of resources and if we can't find an answer in any of the books or scrolls there, the inquisitor is always quick to find more resources for study." Dorian tried to reassure Michela, "you need to stop attacking Rubeus and work with him. He's not a mage but he cares about mages and advocates."
"Yet you hide the cure that the very mages who serve under you need." Michela's eyes returned to normal and she faced Dorian standing a little taller.
"You are free to continue disliking me as much as you like." He responded.
"That's the problem, I still care about you," Michela said and walked up close to him. Dorian flinched as she got into his personal space.
"Did you even care at all about me?" Michela asked.
"O— of course, I did," he argued.
"I heard that you told people Olivia was your betrothed. Do I shame you?" Michela asked.
"I only told Varric that. Worried that the nosy dwarf might give you unwanted attention," he explained.
"Then why did you ignore my letters." She demanded.
"And say what exactly? So happy to hear you are still alive and suffering. At least now you're on a boat! Marvellous!" Dorian replied sarcastically.
"This is why every second that you're here torments me, my life is ruined, and even after Emilio faces his crimes. I will be hated from here to Antiva by relation. The blood of the Venatori on my hands. I could handle it if every time I closed my eyes the ghosts of sunburst warrior didn't lurk in my nightmares. Telling me that freedom comes with death as the world is swallowed up by the fade." Michela barked as the door opened.
"Ma'lath, are you ok? Sorry I took so long." Rubeus called opening the door. The elf halted in the doorway and his eyes widened.
"You! What are you after now?" Rubeus asked Michela accusingly.
"Nothing you're willing to share," Michela said and stepped away from Dorian.
"Get out of my way." Michela insisted as Rubeus blocked the door.
"No," Rubeus replied. The inquisitor stood firm and crossed his arms.
"No? Move or I will make you," Michela said confidently. Rubeus raised an eyebrow.
"I've been fighting mages, templars and demons for the past year and a half. I'd like to see you try." Rubeus responded.
"Not the best idea, Amatus," Dorian warned.
Michela summoned a well of magic through the lyrium tattoos across her skin. Under her clothes, the vibrant blue traced out a dragon which allowed her to spit a breath of icy magic that froze Rubeus to the floor. Rubeus's hand sparked and twitched with a green glow as he prepares an aegis but it stopped started to dissipate as he lost the advantage.
"You know I can't move out of the way when you FREEZE MY FEET TO THE FLOOR!" He bellowed.
"You're insufferable, the both of you!" Michela shouted back and stepped up onto the ice and tried to climb over Rubeus. He immediately tried to pat her off and they two ended up in a flurry of fisticuff slaps. Rubeus managed to throw her off him and Michela skillfully rolled to avoid hitting the floor.
"What's your problem with me and why were you coming after Dorian. I want answers!" he demanded.
"Well done, Duchess. I haven't seen him this angry since Halamshiral," Dorian quipped from behind them.
Below deck hidden in the crew hold, the crew who were shirking their duties were huddled around a game of wicked grace with Varric.
"Is everything alright up there?" Cassandra asked handing a card over to Varric.
"It's probably fine. The Duchess wouldn't hurt a fly." Varric responded.
"Are we taking the same Captain Michela Di'Pasqua or did you meet some doppelganger princess?" Fritigern asked.
"The woman I met last night was a pleasant breath of fresh air," Cassandra commented as ice froze the floor above them.
"With a temper," Fenris added and pushed some coins onto the table. "I call your bluff, seeker."
"How dare you insinuate I bluff," Cassandra added and laid her hand on the table revealing a full house.
Fenris huffed and sat back against the hull of the ship.
"You owe me a bottle of wine. I'm going to go check on the situation upstairs. Varric. I suggest you stay down here." Cassandra commented
"Not a problem seeker," Varric said and saluted before collecting the cards to shuffle the next round.
Back in the Navigators quarters,
"It's too loud around you!" Michela screamed at Rubeus. "You're too loud! That! It must be!" Michela pointed at the mark in his hand. Rubeus's hand twitched, reflectively.
"Like a moth to a flame, the eternal fires of rage and shrieks of Terror" Michela stepped away from Rubeus and was backed up against the wall. Dorian watched her with interest and concern while Rubeus tried to free his feet from the thawing ice.
"It's not intentional, I promise," he responded.
"Staring at me," Michela said as her eyes glazed over white.
"Michela, where are you?" a voice whispered to the distressed captain.
"Calling me." Michela's tone slipped into a monotonous chant. The more she stared at it, the sooner the magic in her eyes began to hypnotize her. The ice below them began to mist colder, unlike a simple ice mine spell. Michela's ice remained and started to grow. Creeping up the blankets on the bed and across the window glass.
"You cunning little devil. I've missed you! Why are you so far away?" the voice continued
"Hawke…" Michela's eyes started to water.
"Yeah? Who else would it be?" Hawke replied with a smug look on her face, "since when did you get so high strung?"
"You're not real," Michela said with fear in her voice. Her hands shaking once again as she held her ears closed.
Rubeus finally managed to break free of the ice.
"Dorian? What's going on, is she going to be ok?!" Rubeus asked in alarm.
"Probably not, but I think I know how to help her. You won't like it, I'm afraid." Dorian replied.
"Just be quiet, just be quiet, just be quiet." Michela rambled over and over as she shrunk into the corner. The ice wasn't melting yet, but it had stopped growing.
"As long as nothing explodes or catches fire it'll be fine, just help her!" Rubeus ordered.
"Very well then," Dorian replied and he cast dispel on Rubeus. Anything pressing against the veil started to quiet as the magical energy from the mark weakened.
Cassandra made it to the door and saw the room, Michela slunk against the wall as Dorian wielded his staff towards Rubeus.
"Enough!" Cassandra pulled her shield out and marched in and physically separated everyone. She looked at Michela and saw her magic going out of control.
"Relax," Cassandra said and knelt next to Michela. With the magic of the rift disrupted, Michela's connection to the fade was broken.
"Remember to breathe, magic is like air. It moves through you freely unless you trap it inside." Cassandra was calm and easy in her tone, and Michela responded to it by taking one big slow breath. Hawke's voice faded from Michela's ears
"Now count to ten, slowly. Focus on my voice." Cassandra said.
"One… two…"
"Thank the creators you showed up," Rubeus exclaimed. "This was getting out of hand."
"You've never pulled a mage child out of a bad situation before. Captain, did you pass your harrowing?" Cassandra asked. Michela calmed and the ice melted around them.
"Technically yes, but in reality no. My father had paid off the chantry to clear me." Michela admitted and looked at the room which was further damaged. Dorian looked shocked by this information.
"You could have mentioned that earlier," he exclaimed. He moved to help pull Rubeus out of the ice.
"Shit, Rawlins is going to be pissed," Michela said as Cassandra helped her stand up.
"If you didn't lock me in here I wouldn't have had to kick the door in now would I?" Rubeus retorted with a heavy sigh.
"Explain." Cassandra ordered Michela.
"Yes, captain. Please explain to the Seeker why you felt locking me in a room and then freezing me to the floor was the best way to handle this situation." Rubeus added.
"You threaten the safety of the inquisitor and my friends. If you do not have control of your magic."
"What, you'll make me tranquil?" Michela asked aggressively, realizing Cassandra had a grip on her coat and sword belt. "How could I dismiss a direct order from the right hand of the inquisitor." Michela mocked and started to laugh.
"You were just begging to be made tranquil a moment ago, change of heart?" Dorian asked.
"You have lost a few marbles," Cassandra said seeing the madness in her eyes. Rubeus kept his distance from Michela knowing that the presence of the anchor was agitating her.
"We will be in Skyhold in a couple of days. We can see if we have anything to help her there. I'd rather we deal with this before sailing to meet her father." Rubeus explained.
"You want to help her? She just tried to maim you!" Dorian argued.
"You don't?" Rubeus asked.
"Help me? I just told you how! Make me tranquil." Michela said and tried to shove out of Cassandra's grip. Unsuccessfully.
"And I don't think you deserve to be punished in such a way," Dorian responded nonchalantly.
"Punishment…" Cassandra mused and let go of Michela slowly. "I heard you talking about it, how there is a cure. If you're asking to have your connection to the fade removed then for us to reverse it, I don't know if that will stop your dreaming." Cassandra explained.
"Why not? I've tested the theory, I'd rather lose my mind to serenity than be enslaved again. You have no idea what it's like to have a demon let alone another person creep into your head and control you!" Michela shouted.
"If I'm going to take you to Emilio You have to enact the right of tranquillity on me," Michela explained a bit calmer now. "Or I'll have to start taking lyrium again," Michela said with a crack in her voice. Rubeus was silent in thought as he listened to the conversation.
"Cole has an amulet the wards off control," he said out of nowhere.
"Yes, and?" Dorian asked.
"He doesn't use it. It's just up in the tavern if he ever needs it. I wonder if Dagna could examine it and make something similar for the captain?" Rubeus voiced.
"What amulet?" Michela asked mockingly at the simple suggestion.
"Oh yes, introduce her to Cole. That won't end badly at all! She's already complaining about stuff rooting around in her head. What's one more?" Dorian sassed. Rubeus gave Dorian a sour look.
"It is worth a try, Michela. You told me last night you wanted to see your people free. That there will be no more victims to slavery both magical and physical." Cassandra asked.
"Yes," Michela said, staring at Cassandra fixated on her face.
"Then trust us, just the inquisition," Cassandra said proudly.
I know we got off on a poor note. But none of us wants to harm you. Let us help." Rubeus added.
"I don't know if I can trust anyone… yet," Michela said weakly. By this time Honey had come to the door.
"Michela!" She exclaimed and shoved her way past Rubeus and Dorian to aid the captain.
"I heard a lot of commotion but did not expect you to be in such need. Come. Let's get you to your room."
"Yes, please I need a few hits of rum after today," Michela said and followed Honey as the massive woman collected the captain and ignored the others.
"Another tragic tale of a mage in a bad situation," Cassandra commented. "What I don't understand, is how your mark is affecting her. No other mages have been so directly influenced." Cassandra asked.
"I have no idea. But at least I understand her open hostility now," Rubeus sighed, taking a seat on the chair. With the adrenaline has worn off his feet now burned as even the room temperature was too much too fast for his frozen feet.
"She has always been interested in veil related magic. Makes me wish Solas were still with us. She'd probably attach herself to him and ask millions of questions instead of coming after us! ...and Solas might have a proper answer on how to help her," Dorian conceded.
"But he's not here!" Rubeus replied angrily, "so we just need to do what we can."
"You never fully explained to us why Solas left. Did he say nothing...?" Cassandra asked before noticing Rubeus was in pain. "Here, I have a salve to put on that," Cassandra said and pulled a potion jar out of her back pocket and handed it to Rubeus who started to remove his shoes.
"Solas was on the front lines with us but never returned to Skyhold after our victory. It's strange, right?" Rubeus mused.