Chapter Nine
"Scout Harding has sent in reports of Venatori sightings in the Western Approach. We do not yet know what they are searching for, but whatever it is, we cannot let them get their hands on it."
Cullen, Leliana, and Josephine all took turns presenting the best course of action before Evelyn's departure to the far west. She listened intently, her eyebrows drawn together in focus. Every so often she'd have Leliana translate her own questions and ideas until several hours later, they had a solid plan. She and a select few of her companions would venture forth to stop Corypheus' people, as well as meet with Alistair and Hawke to gather more information about the suspicious activities from the Grey Wardens.
For one person traveling horseback, it was a two-week ride there. For over two dozen soldiers carrying wagonloads of supplies and weapons, they were looking at roughly a month's worth of trekking across the country. And that was just a one-way trip. Evelyn and her party—along with the soldiers—were to set out at dawn to begin the campaign.
"Now that we've gotten that situated, there is one more thing I need to bring up," Leliana said as she pulled a rolled letter from under her vest. She passed it across the table to Evelyn. "A letter from Bann and Lady Trevelyan of the Free Marches. They are requesting a meeting discuss an alli—"
Leliana cut herself off when Evelyn's lips curled in disgust and she dropped the letter as though it was made of acid. "No," she signed, offering no further explanation.
The spymaster frowned. "It's regarding an alliance. Our reach does not yet extend—"
"No," Evelyn signed again. Before anyone could object, she crumbled the letter before using her fingertips to cast a tiny fire. When it was merely ashes, she dropped it to the stone floor and promptly squashed whatever remained.
Her advisors stared at her in confusion. Josephine cleared her throat, her words uneasy. "Forgive me, Lady Inquisitor, but wouldn't it be wise for us to accept their offer? They are your family, after all, and—"
Josephine snapped her mouth shut at the icy look Evelyn shot her. It wasn't in her character to be so cold, but there was nothing but bitter rage between Evelyn and her so-called family. The Maker may forgive all sins, but she certainly didn't. "We do not need them. That is the last I want to hear of it." Her hands shook as she signed, but her expression remained determined as Leliana translated.
Still appearing confused and a bit concerned, Leliana gave a small nod. "Very well. That's all for today then."
The air seemed a lot more tense that it had moments ago, but Evelyn gave a tight smile of gratitude before leaving. The three of them remained behind, still uncertain by her vehement decline.
…
…
"We're all in agreement that was an odd reaction, right?" Cullen murmured when the door closed behind Evelyn.
"Yes," Josephine responded, worried over the evident bad blood between Evelyn and her family. "Come to think of it, what do we know about their relationship? It's clear she doesn't want anything to do with them, but is it truly wise to risk losing a potentially powerful alliance?"
Leliana sighed when they both looked to her. "Even I do not know what happened between them, but if the Inquisitor is adamant about this, let us not dwell any further." Cullen and Josephine nodded in reluctant agreement, but they didn't prod.
As the meeting drew to a close, Cullen waited until Josephine left the war room before stopping the spymaster. "Sister Leliana, do you have a moment?"
"Only a moment," she responded, peering down at a stack of papers in her hand. "I need to send out these letters before the Inquisitor leaves in the morning."
"Then I'll make this quick." Despite his words, he strolled toward the door and checked to make sure the other two women were at the other end of the hall before closing it. "I, er… I have a favor I'd like to ask."
She used a quill to mark off something on the top page. "I assumed as much. Ask away." At his hesitation, she didn't lift her head, but she raised her eyes to stab him with a narrow glare of impatience. "Preferably today, Commander."
"Right." He rubbed the back of his neck and decided to just spit it out. Leliana was cunning and patient at the best of times, but her temper was as prickly as his when there was work to do and little time to do it. "Will you teach me the Inquisitor's hand language?"
A long silence passed between them, one that grew more awkward the longer she stared at him with an unreadable look. "Why?"
Such a short simple word, yet the smug knowledge in her tone made heat rise in his cheeks. "I-I just thought it would be best if I… If others were able to communicate with her in a common manner. Without the need of a translator, that is."
Instead of responding, Leliana cocked a single eyebrow.
"It's just that she…er…well, she has to write out her words to us, and I imagine it might be frustrating…"
A second eyebrow joined the first.
Cullen was sure his face was the color of a ripe tomato. "…Look, can you teach me or not?"
A twitch at the corner of her lips revealed her amusement. "I'm curious as to why you're requesting this of me rather than Solas. He seems more than qualified to educate you, and he certainly has more free time."
She watched him closely, though he knew she was trying to gauge his reaction to the suggestion. While he hadn't been open in showing his mild hostility toward the elven mage, Leliana must have known there was no love between the two men. He could only assume she was trying to confirm whatever suspicions were running through her mind.
Unwilling to give her the satisfaction by further embarrassing himself, he schooled his expression and folded his hands over his pommel. "If you do not have the time, then is there a book in the library I can draw from?"
Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, yet her lips twitched once again with humor. "Meet me in Josephine's office after dinner so we can begin training. Lucky for you, she has also requested that I teach her, so I suppose I can kill two birds with one stone. I will warn you just as I did her—this language is complex and I lack the patience of a true teacher, so I'd suggest you try and catch on quickly."
Hiding his excitement, he gave an appreciative dip of his head in thanks. "Duly noted."
She made a humorous sound and left the room. It only then occurred to him that he simply could have told her that as one of Evelyn's advisors, being able to communicate with her proficiently was mandatory. That would have been a plausible explanation, yet he'd stammered like bumbling fool. His lack of sophistication when it came to Evelyn was becoming increasingly annoying. How was anyone supposed to take him seriously when he continued to act like a nervous teen?
Sighing in defeat, he admitted to himself that he was nonetheless pleased that Leliana was willing to teach him. He really, really did not wish to go to Solas for help. It was ridiculous, since the man had never once done anything to earn Cullen's dislike, yet his jealousy toward the elf and Evelyn's seemingly close relationship always left him feeling bitter.
The thought made him pause. It was likely the two were already more than acquaintances or friends. He recalled seeing the two of them together in Crestwood after she'd rolled her ankle. They'd been close, almost on the verge of leaning into each other for a kiss. If such were the case, as much as the idea pained him, he would not wish to interfere with whatever romantic relationship was or wasn't there. It wouldn't be right.
Still, learning Evelyn's language would prove beneficial in other ways. Whenever they needed to meet to discuss Inquisition matters, it would be simpler for all four of them if they all knew what she was saying without the need of a translator.
…
…
The Free Marches were often warm and sunny all year round, so the blistering heat of the Western Approach's sun should not have been such a burden for Evelyn. However, it was apparent that she'd been away from home for far too long as she slumped forward, her lips parted as she panted atop her mount. If not for the fear of letting any of the men and women behind her see the ugly scars through the soaked material of her shirt, she would have peeled away the layers of her traveling cloak.
Unlike most other mages she'd come across, she'd stopped wearing the magic-imbued robes they wore for both battle and comfort after receiving her scars. Instead, she'd always opted to don her body from neck to toe in leather—trousers, boots, and a coat tucked into two belts holding a series of potions and grenades. All that with a thick cloak fastened around her shoulders. Many of her companions had warned that so many layers would not bode well under the heat of the western sun, yet she'd ignored them with reassurances that it was no problem.
A big fat lie, that. She was sweating. Melting, it seemed like. She had her hood drawn to shield her eyes from the sun, yet all it had done was trap the heat under her clothes. Her saddle was soaked beneath her ass, and to put the cherry on top of a craptastic journey across the desert, sand had begun riding up in places it had no business lurking.
She was utterly miserable, yet she only had her dumb self to blame.
As though reading her mind, Bull grumbled behind her. "You're pissing me off with all those clothes on, Boss."
Without looking, she weakly raised her hand to wave at him, hoping she'd conveyed her 'I'm fine' correctly. In actuality, it probably appeared more like a lazy swat of a fly.
"Dear, you are sure to catch a heat stroke." That from Vivienne, who fanned herself. How she managed to look so regal and elegant while everyone else appeared desolate from the heat was beyond her.
"Solas, do one of those blizzard spells above us," Bull called.
"I will not," the elf responded. Like Evelyn, he was slumped forward, the top of his head glistening with sweat. It also had a deep red tint to it, making her realize he was getting sunburned. She would have laughed at the sight if not for the dryness in her throat.
Sera was on her stomach, lying sideways as if lounging on a couch rather than riding an animal. "How long til we get there?" With no shame whatsoever, she'd stripped down to only her smallclothes, and with the sweat causing the material to stick to her skin, the sight left very, very little to the imagination. "I've got sand in my buns."
"You don't have any buns," Blackwall commented next to her.
"Will all of you shut up?" Cassandra, at the head of the group, growled over her shoulder. Her cheeks were red and her hair stuck to her damp forehead, though she too had peeled off her gloves and chest plate to feel some kind of a breeze.
Yes, everyone was utterly miserable. Evelyn recalled those dark days when she'd been stuck in the mountains, alone and wandering blindly while the cold threatened to turn her to ice. She'd return to that frozen landscape any day if it meant she could escape the Western Approach. What was most frustrating was that they hadn't even reached the first campsite. They still had some Venatori hunting to do, which meant they could be there for weeks.
With a rueful sigh, she closed her eyes and thought of Skyhold. She wondered how everyone who'd stayed behind was fairing. Certainly better than her. They were surrounded by cool mountain air. At least there, if it grew too cold to bare, one could simply light a fire and warm up in no time. Here in the isolated desert with nothing but miles upon miles of burning sand and not a single cloud in the sky, they simply had to endure the blistering heat.
She envied them on that front. Her idle thoughts shifted to Cullen, a common occurrence whenever she was away from the keep. She wondered what he was doing, if he was taking care of himself instead of getting worked up every second of the day. Hell, even with the mountain of paperwork he had to do, it still had to beat trekking through the unforgiving desert. Time was different here than it was in Skyhold. It would be early in the night. He was probably sitting at his desk eating a hot meal and enjoying the temporary quiet with so many soldiers out of the way.
…
…
With an exasperated sigh and a muscle ticking under her left eye, Leliana glared at Cullen. "Commander, have you even been paying attention these last few weeks?" She made a noise of utter disgust as she mirrored the hand signals he'd used. "You just asked me to borrow my horse for bedplay."
Cullen recoiled and scrubbed his hands over his face, only to shoot Josephine a frown when she failed to hide her giggle. "Maker's breath! I'm trying. So many of these signs look alike."
"That is why you must pay close attention," Leliana huffed. "Now, let's try this one more time."