7: Reunion
Aiden dreamed of the spiders and the pride demon chasing him down like a fox in a noble's hunt. His thighs ached as he forced himself forward, feet pounding against the hard ground. The woman of gold stood ahead of him, a beacon in the darkness, her hand outstretched and as he grew closer, he saw it was Ela. Her mouth moved in a wordless cry. Black hair whipped about her face and he could smell the perfume she patted behind her ears. Hope drowned out fear and he rushed toward her. Reaching for her hand, she smiled at him, brighter than he had ever seen her smile. Then, before their fingers could even brush, a hand emerged from the darkness, and snatched her away. Aiden felt himself scream.
When his eyes shot open, he found himself in a cabin, on a bed, a cold sweat covering his body. The scream was caught in his throat's sandpaper grip and he coughed. Aiden pushed himself upward, meeting the hazel gaze of a man seated at his feet. He froze. Where am I? The last thing he remembered was trying to close the Breach. His sister had been there, or had she? Aiden shook his head driving away the haze that clouded his mind. The man looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place from were. Nothing made sense.
He glanced around the cabin, it was sparsely furnished with old wooden floors and a few candles. He turned his head to see a low table and...Ela, staring at him, her mouth agape. She was standing by a window, golden light of the morning enveloping her, making her look as if she was sent from the Maker.
She looked terrible though. Her face was bruised and cut, her purple eyes were devoid of their usual fierceness, replaced with a tiredness he had never seen before. A worn cloak hung over her shoulders and he could see her arm was pinned to her side. Her lips pulled into an exhausted smile and she rushed to his side, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Aiden!"
Lavender and honey filled his nostrils and he returned the hug burying his face in her hair. She was real. It was all Aiden could think of as he sank into her arms. She was really there. Tears brimmed in his eyes and he forced them back. He was too old to cry. Hot tears fell on his head and Aiden laughed. She was real.
"I thought I'd lost you," Ela murmured into his scalp. Pulling away from him she began to run her fingers through his hair like she use to when he was little. It was a pleasant feeling and it brought back fond memories of times when there wasn't a giant hole in the sky. "Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to see you're alive. I should have never left you there," she said through sniffles. "I'm so sorry Aiden. I was so stupid to leave you, but I'm not going anywhere now. I'm here now." Her eyes were red and bleary and Aiden couldn't remember the last time she had cried so hard. And he couldn't understand why she was crying now. She had saved him from the pride demon. He was alive because of her. Wasn't he?
"I saw you," Aiden said quietly, "I saw you at the Breach, or...I think I did. You saved me. "
Ela smiled sadly. "No, that wasn't me. I wish I could have been there, though. I heard you had quite the adventure."
Aiden nodded his head placing his back against the wall. "We went to close the Breach, the Seeker, and Varric, and Solas, and me," he began, "there were so many demons."
"Did you have to fight?"
"Me, no. The Seeker kept me safe mostly and some soldiers, but most of them-." He let his sentence trail off thinking of the soldiers that had been cut down in front of him. Their dying screams and all the blood that had soaked into the snow. It wasn't the first time he had watched someone die, but it was the first time someone had died for him.
"Don't think on it." Ela told him patting his shoulder sympathetically.
The realization of his mission came over him. "Did it work? Did we close it?" He asked quickly. The question caused his sister's smile to fade.
"No...but you stopped it from growing. You really stepped up, Aiden. I'm proud of you." Ela said. Aiden grinned despite himself. It wasn't often his sister praised him and when she did, he knew it was well earned. "How's your hand?"
He lifted it for her inspection. A green dash marked the place it lied and, unlike before, it didn't crackle or spark and he was thankful for that. "It's better than before," he informed her.
"Good." She stirred in her seat, glancing at the man seated across from her. "Aiden, this is Commander Cullen," she said gesturing to the man. "He's helped me a great deal. In fact, he is the only reason I'm here right now." Aiden turned his attention back on the man suddenly realizing where he had seen him from. He was the Commander the Seeker had talked to on the battlefield.
"It's an honor to meet you, Commander Cullen." Aiden said remembering his courtesies. The Commander didn't seem to hear him. His hazel eyes were glazed over, gazing into the distance. Aiden repeated himself when the Commander turned his attention back on him. The man smiled at him.
"It is an honor to meet you as well," the Commander replied smiling.
Ela gave Aiden another pat on his back before turning her attention to the Commander.
"Is my proposition enough, Commander?" Ela asked. Aiden looked at her with confusion. What proposition was she talking about?
"It won't be necessary," the Commander replied after a moment. "I've gotten all the answers I needed. If you agree to stay in Haven and help us, my men will be ordered to stand down and you to be left alone. The villagers will no doubt be happy to hear you've awoken, Herald. I'll do my best to keep Lady Cassandra from hounding you." A sad smile grew on Ela's lips. Aiden looked between the two of them trying to figure out what they were talking about. "Ah, and, what should I tell your men?" the Commander inquired.
"Nothing, they'll come to me." Ela responded. None of it was making sense to Aiden.
The Commander nodded to her. "Take some time to rest, the both of you. Your wounds have not yet healed and things will only be harder from here. When you are ready head for the Chantry, I'm sure you'll find us there." he stated heading for the door. He had his hand on the handle when Ela called for him.
"Commander Cullen, thank you…for everything." The Commander smiled, nodded at her, then left.
Aiden glowered at his sister. "What was that about?" He asked in a low tone. Ela chuckled and ruffled his hair as she stood.
"He saved my life, and by extension yours." Ela informed him pulling off her cloak. "Don't trust the man too much though, he used to be a templar, and what did I say about templars?"
"Watch them, never trust them." Aiden chanted. The Commander didn't look like a templar, but he knew better than to second guess his sister. She could always tell what kind of a person someone was. "What happened to you?" Aiden asked motioning to her face.
Ela seemed taken aback by his question. "Ah, um, I took a bad hit...a couple bad hits."
"From what?" He asked.
"Let's not talk about that right now," Ela muttered rubbing her side. "You need to tell me everything that happened to you, everything you know." They sat and talked for a long time. Aiden told Ela everything he knew, everything that he remembered and she listened with a solemn face.
"Listen to me Aiden," she said when he had finished, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Nothing. We can leave right now and never look back. We'll go to Tevinter, Antiva, or back to Orlais. Wherever to get away from this. Just tell me what you want. You don't owe these people a thing."
Aiden opened his mouth to answer, hesitated, and clacked it shut. It would be easy to turn tail and run, never look back, act like this was all just a bad dream. The Seeker had asked for his help to try and close the Breach and he had tried. He had stuck to his promise, now he could be free. A pit in his stomach formed at the idea of leaving, so many people were counting on him, they didn't have any other way of closing the Rifts…or the Breach.
"I want to help," he said after a moment. "I'm the only one who can close the Breach."
Ela looked at him, pride clear on her face. She nodded her head sucking in a deep breath. "It isn't going to be easy. People won't trust you; they'll try to use you…hurt you. They'll do anything to get their way." Ela looked like she was going to cry again.
He knew she was right.
"I still have you though."
She chuckled at that.
"Come on, let's get to the Chantry," she said, pulling her cloak back on. "I'm sure we've sat long enough."
Leaning against the heavy oaken table, Cassandra listened to Chancellor Roderick prattle on. He wanted the Herald arrested. The man was acting like a rabid dog and it disgusted her to no end. Shipping the Herald off to Val Royeaux was a foolish idea. They had already determined the boy was innocent and their best shot to close the Breach. His sister, on the other hand, was a different story. Cassandra would have loved to see her in chains. The spectacle the woman had put on for all of Haven to see was unforgivable in her mind. She had been ready to fight the paltry band on the spot, of course, that had been before Cullen had gotten in the way.
The Commander somehow managed to get the woman to stand down and had even argued for her innocence afterward. His seal of approval did little to settle the fire in Cassandra's veins. The woman had openly challenged her, challenged all of the Inquisition, threatened them even; yet, Cullen found it in himself to defend her. Ridiculous.
The door flung open and the Herald's sister marched in, face as hard as iron, with the Herald cowing behind her. The boy's face was flooded with fear and his eyes darted fearfully between the two templars that stood on either side of the door.
Chancellor Roderick demanded they be chained, but she silenced him and ordered the templars to leave. The man was weighing on her nerves and as she argued she saw the Herald's sister watching them carefully. Her purple eyes were filled with suspicion.
The Chancellor huffed; his narrow eyes filled with hate. They focused on the Herald and with a promise that they hadn't heard the last of him, left.
"All of this arguing is pointless if you do not stand with us," Leliana said piercing the silence the Chancelloe left. She fixed her gaze on the Herald. "We cannot close the Breach or any of the Rifts without you."
The Herald's sister moved from in front of him and he seemed to shrink in on himself. Cassandra felt pity for him. He was thin and lanky and wasn't fully grown into his body yet, only a boy.
"I want to help…" The Herald began casting eyes downward again. "I really…want-"
"We will help if you all are truly trying to restore order," his sister declared for him. "You will have my brother, me, and what's left of my mercenary band at your disposal. As long as we can agree on one, no…two things."
Cassandra narrowed her eyes at the woman trying to control her rage. "What would you have of us in return?" She asked suspiciously.
The Herald's sister met Cassandra's glare with her own steely gaze. "Nothing too demanding," she assured, "just your promise that there will be no retaliation for my actions earlier. I sincerely apologize for the disruption I caused. I was set on seeing my brother. My behavior was rash and my plan…ill conceived. I injured two of your men unnecessarily, but I fully intend to lend myself to your Commander to right my wrongs."
"Why?" Cassandra asked folding her arms. The woman wasn't negotiating, she was setting ground rules for them, as if she could control them simply because her brother was the Herald. It made her blood boil.
"Well not only did I injure two of the Inquisition's men, but I had my life saved by Commander Cullen," she explained. "I owe the Inquisition for saving my life just as I owe you, Lady Seeker, for saving my brother's." The Herald's sister extended an open hand to her. A peace offering.
Cassandra eyed her.
"I can assure you Lady Seeker, I will be more courteous in the future." The woman said grinning to reveal straight white teeth.
"Cassandra...call me Cassandra." she said shaking her hand.
From behind his sister the Herald smiled hope, refilling his eyes.
"Call me Ela, please."
"The only other thing I ask for is your silence," the woman continued "Your Commander no doubt informed you that I was a mage. I've managed to stay hidden for years before, but now – with my brother in this situation – it will be much harder to stay that way."
"You are an apostate?" Leliana asked moving closer.
"As all mages are now, yes. That is beside the point however. I will work as my brother's guard and to do this job efficiently I would like to keep the knowledge that I am a mage between the few that already know. It will help us if our enemies, whoever they may be, know as little about us as possible." She said gesturing between herself and her brother. "These are the only things I would ask of you."
Leliana nodded. "That could work to our advantage, we would keep a small element of surprise if the Herald is ever attacked."
"There were a number of soldiers that witnessed you wielding magic from what I understand." Cassandra voiced crossing her arms.
Ela bobbed her head. "Many of them fell to the hands of demons if I am to believe my Lieutenant. I am sure the few that are left can be persuaded, for the good of the Inquisition, to keep their mouths shut."
"That can be arranged, though it will require tact and some assistance from Commander Cullen," Leliana decided crossing her arms. "It can be achieved though."
"I'm glad to hear it." Ela said with a small smile. "I hope we can continue to work this well with one another in the future." She tapped the Herald's arm, and he gave them a low bow. "It was a pleasure to officially meet you both, but, if you'll excuse me, my wounds need dressing." With a curt bow she turned and left, the Herald trailing after her.
Cassandra closed the door and turned to Leliana who had a huge smirk on her face. "I thought you said she was an incorrigible menace." Leliana joked.
"She is, ugh, she was." Cassandra grunted in disgust. Across from her Cullen chuckled.
"She seemed rather pleasant to me." Leliana smiled. "Though our Commander thinks she's hiding something."
Cassandra let out a heavy sigh and leaned against the table. "Do we have the time to deal with this now?"
"Now, no. But we can deal with it in time."
"Do you think you can find out what it is?" She asked already knowing the answer.
"Of course I can."