Chapter 65: Following the Qun pt2
50 years. That's how long it took the Imperium to drive out the Qunari occupation. But the rest of Northern Thedas was not so lucky. Both Divines, white and black, declared Exalted Marches and for the only time since the Schism of the Chantry, they worked together. A century-long siege resulted, with the giant Qunari entrenched in Antiva and Rivain, and all of Thedas throwing armies against them.
The war drained the resources of every nation in Thedas, leaving most on the brink of collapse. For the giants, it did not appear to be the damage to their armada or the loss of their soldiers, but the terrible toll upon the Rivaini population that prompted their retreat. When the Third New Exalted March had all but massacred the people of Kont-aar without even chipping the Qunari occupying force, the giants finally withdrew.
The treaty that put an official end to the Qunari Wars was signed on the politically neutral island of Llomerryn off the southern coast of Rivain. 150 years after the assault on the mainland began, the Qunari left our shores. They received the northern archipelago in exchange for cessation of hostilities against all the nations on the accord. Only Tevinter refused to sign, and so the war continues to rage in the Imperium to the present day.
It's worth noting, however, that the Kingdom of Rivain immediately violated the treaty. Twice. Once, when the humans of northern Rivain—nearly all practitioners of the Qun and therefore by definition, "Qunari"—refused to leave their homes and go in exile to the islands. And again, when the Rivain Chantry and nationalist forces, unable to convert its people back to the worship of the Maker, tried a purge by the sword, slaughtering countless unarmed people and burying them in mass graves. It's a fortunate mystery that the leaders in Kont-aar did not alert their allies in the Northern Passage, or we'd still be fighting the giants now.—From The Exalted Marches: An Examination of Chantry Warfare, by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar
Kirkwall Chantry
"You fucking idiot! Have you realized what you have done?!"
"The faithful know this has been building for a long time. Where Varnell incited, I reminded, in sermon and prayer" she said. "When people learn of this attack, they will rise. Not zealots or the unknowing, but the true majority"
"You are riling them up, only for them to be slaughtered by the Qunari!" Sebastian said. "This isn't the Maker's will! This is madness!"
"To die untested would be the real crime. People need the opportunity to defend faith. Starting with you" Petrice turned to her followers. "Earn your reward in this life and next! These heretics must die!"
"Don't listen to her! She has led you all astray!" the prince pleaded. "The Maker wouldn't want you to throw away your life like this!"
"They're long gone, Shiny…" Ericks said. "It's us or them!" The fanatics came from both sides, trying to box the gang in, the gang split up and fought them on the stairs. As long as they had the higher ground, the gang had the advantage despite being out numbered. Ericks took out an oil flasks threw it on the ground blow him. The fanatics slipped and fell down the stairs taking their allies with them. Sebastian reluctantly fired a barrage of arrows on the fallen mob, they dressed in plain clothes and some of them could barely hold the weapons they were holding. A lot of them were old enough be his grandparents while others were too young to know about the horrors of battle.
But their eyes said all he needed to know, these people were true believers of Petrice's crusade. They were a true danger to the public, but he took no joy from taking their lives as he knew they were fighting for a lie. On the other side of the main hall, Fenris bashed one of the fanatics and pushed him towards a Templar coming towards Anders. The mage shot a blast of cold that slowed down the fanatics and then crushed them with telekinetic force. Anders gave the elf a begrudging thanks, Fenris just gives the mage an aloof nod. When one wave fell, another one came to take their place more ferocious than the last but they too in time fell as well. As the gang put away their weapons, footsteps were heard coming down the stairs, it was Petrice and Grand Cleric Elthina.
Elthina had a look of horror on her face seeing the scene of violence before her, while Petrice was in the back feigning outrage but her eyes told a different story. "Do you see, Your Grace? Traitors attacking the very core of the Chantry! They defile with every step!" Petrice was trying to force the Grand Cleric's hand into following her crusade against the Qunari. For all her bluster, she was still no closer to her goal. For her credit, Elthina composed herself and looked back at Petrice.
"There is death in every corner, young mother. It is as you predicted" the Grand Cleric then slightly narrowed her eyes toward the woman. "All too well…" This stunned Petrice for a moment but she kept her act up. Elthina despite her neutral stance was not the fool the mother took her for; there was a reason why she was Grand Cleric for this long. Ericks could only smirk at her discomfort.
"She's on to you, Petrice. Quick, lie harder"
The Revered Mother frowned. "Don't you spout your Qunari filth. This is a hand of the Divine"
"I have ears, Mother Petrice. The Maker would have me use them"
"Viscount Dumar's son is dead, killed here in your name Your Grace" Sebastian said.
Elthina looked at Petrice with cool eyes; it caused a shiver down her spine. "I'm sure my name won't like that, Petrice?"
"Saemus Dumar was a Qunari convert! He came here to repent and was murdered!"
Ericks crossed his arms. "Love them or hate them, a blind nug could see this was taken too far"
"No price is too much when we speak of eternity!" Petrice said angrily, "They deny the Maker!"
"Well would you look at that…the snake sheds her skin" Anders said dryly.
"Eternity is long enough that we need not rush to meet it" The Grand Cleric's voice is calm but the anger was unmistakable. "You diminish Him, even as you claim His side. Andraste did not volunteer for the flame" As they were talking, Fenris noticed a shadowy figure hiding in the next room, the shape and size of the figure was unmistakable. Justice was coming to Petrice one way or another. Elthina then looked at Ericks. "Serah Hawke, you act on behalf of the viscount?"
Ericks nodded. "I do"
"The young mother has erred in her judgment. A court will decide her fate. The Chantry respects the law and so must she"
Petrice's eyes went wide. "Grand Cleric?" She then watched as Elthina walked away from the Revered Mother, all her years of careful planning has been undone and all because this dog lord standing in front of her. "Grand Cleric!" Before Petrice could mourn her failure, an arrow struck her in the heart. The Revered Mother fell to her knees, then her eyes widened with fear. Out of the shadows came a qunari archer…the Arishok made good on his promise. The qunari pulls back his bow and another arrow struck Petrice's head. She fell to the ground with her lifeless eyes staring up at the statue of Andraste, the savior she want to be but could never live up to.
The gang watched as the qunari walked away, his mission was done. "We protect those of the Qun. We do not abandon our own"
Elthina stopped halfway up the stairs and looked at the body of Petrice; she could only shake her head in pity. The former mother would not be seeing the Maker but the Void like the fanatics she had damned. "Please, send for Viscount Dumar"
The message was sent to Viscount Dumar; he came quickly and dropped to his knees as he saw his son on the floor. He pulled Saemus into his arms and held as he sobbed. "My boy…" he said. "Murdered in the heart of the chantry, by those who held a sacred trust"
"What hope is there for this city, if we completely fail our own?" Ericks knew he wasn't talking about Kirkwall but his rotted relationship with his son. All the hope he had for Saemus was now gone and replaced with a lifetime of regrets and despair. Ericks looked at the viscount with his son and saw his mother and himself….he understood Dumar's feelings all too well. But this was not the time for tears; word would soon reach the Arishok…if it didn't already. He had kept his rage at bay for so long but the gang has seen tiny flashes of it from time to time, but Petrice's crusade had force that latch open. That rage now threatens all of Kirkwall.
"The Arishok is still here, Excellency. You must be ready to stand up to him" There was no answer. "Excellency?"
"I…I cannot. I have already failed where it matter most" Dumar said in despair. "Please, Hawke. Leave me" The gang left the viscount to his grief.
Anders sighed. "An end of sorts, but the Qunari in the chantry and the viscount's dead son won't simply fade from memory"
"No one's looking pretty after this shitstorm…" Ericks said. "Avi will want to know about this"
"Perhaps we shouldn't be so hasty…" Fenris said. The others looked at the elf. "Petrice may be dead but her crusade very much lives on, if her fanatics see the city guards rally in response to the Qunari the situation will only get worse"
"The best thing we can do is wait and see what the Arishok does" he said. "The Qunari have already avenged Saemus Dumar, that may be enough to calm them down"
"I hope you are right, my friend" Sebastian said worried. "Maker, I hope you are right"
The Hawke Estate
Ericks was back home after a long day like today, he couldn't wait to just sit back and relax with Merrill in his arms. As he opened the door, he could hear arguing…very heated arguing. The rogue walked into the main hall and spotted Aveline and Isabela in verbal sparring match with Merrill and Bodahn trying to keep them from tearing each other apart. "Ma vhenan"
"Messere"
"So how long has this has been happening?" Ericks asked.
"Close to an hour…thank the ancestors you're here"
"This is important. Don't interrupt with your selfish drivel"
"Get off your high horse. I have problems, too" Isabella said.
Aveline scoffed. "What drink should I order? And 'Who's the father?"
The pirate glared at the guards captain. "Oh, you little…" Just as they were about scrap, Ericks sounded a piercing whistle and got the women's attention.
"Are there any good seats left?"
"Ericks...the Arishok is sheltering two fugitives who have 'converted' to the Qun. He must be convinced to release them" Aveline said. "He's already feared thank to that mother. If people start to think he can ignore the law…I need your help so this doesn't get out of hand"
Isabela walked up. "I'm going to die!" she said. "There. Got your attention? Real problem"
"Both of you slow down! All I heard is Arishok and die" Ericks said. "What's this about?"
"You remember the relic? The one Castillon is going to kill me over? A man called Wall-Eyed Sam has it" Isabela said. "You help me get it and Castillon won't kill me…please"
Aveline looked at the pirate incredibly. "I'm trying to keep the entire city from rioting against the Qunari!"
"Well, maybe it's connected"
Everyone looked at Isabela. "What?"
"I'm just saying maybe it will help. It's important to someone, right?"
Aveline groaned. "Now you start being responsible? Shit"
"All right you two, tell me everything"
Not a moment's rest…Next Time! As always Review and Comment!
