CHAPTER 7: Suiting Up
Thankfully, nobody had approached Yasmin for a couple of days, so she'd been using that time to walk around Haven and meet some of the locals like the blacksmith Harritt, and those who were brought here by the Inquisition like Flissa the bartender of The Singing Maiden; the only proper location for socializing other than the chantry…which Yasmin was avoiding until Leliana, Lady Montilyet, or Cassandra ordered her back there. Flissa was a little nervous, but kind.
Yasmin realised pretty quickly that Threnn the quartermaster was a bit controversial in her views about Teryn Loghain Mac Tir. Though she seemed to look out for her elven subordinates all the same, even if she was rather blunt about it. Yasmin actually had a fruitful discussion with Threnn about Loghain's actions. Threnn was astonished to hear that Yasmin shared her views about the tactical retreat made at Ostagar. "It was a difficult situation. He could have probably driven off the Darkspawn Horde, but he would've probably lost over half of his army to do it. The Grey Wardens and the King would've still mostly likely died.
"It was the Wardens' fault! They took too long," Threnn said excitedly, having been on the wrong side of the argument for a decade; she was ecstatic about finding a like mind.
Yasmin tilted her head as she read over the requisition lists, "Well, Logahain, the King, and the Wardens had faulty intelligence. The Tower of Ishal was supposed to be completely clear. And if it had been, the blight would've ended that day, or as good as. And because Wardens Kallian Tabris and Alistair Therin had to fight their way up every level to the top, it took too long. By the time the signal was lit, Loghain's options were dire either way. Granted, name another two people you'd trust fighting through dozens of Darkspawn alone like those two legends, it's not their fault." Yasmin's tone brooked no argument, and even Threnn had to agree with that point.
Yasmin continued, "It's not like Loghain set out to fuck everyone over, he had two bad choices, and took the path of least horror, from his perspective. From Tabris and Therin's perspective, of course Loghain was the villain. Had Loghain heeded the signal, that poor town Lothering might still exist, and Denerim wouldn't have been attacked directly as it was," Yasmin was saying, "But he also had a duty to his people. So, on the whole of it, I understand both sides of that debate, and honestly if I were Loghain, I probably would've done the same thing."
"Thank you Herald, you're a good one, you know. It means more to me than you know that you share my…that you validated my position. Even Queen Anora didn't really want me around anymore." Threnn shrugged sadly. Yasmin looked at the woman standing before her. She was young, maybe thirty years old, perhaps just older. At the battle of Ostagar, she would've been green as grass. She would've been shaking in her armour at the sight of the monsters slaughtering her countrymen below in the valley.
Yasmin looked at Threnn and decided to take a step down in the older woman's regards, "My problem with Loghain was that he treated what he did as treason. He put bounties on the Wardens and closed Ferelden's borders. If he had accepted the very eager aide from former Warden Commander of Orlais Alisse Fontaine and her second in command, current Warden Commander Clarel de Chanson? Even with the loss at Ostagar, the Blight would've been over much quicker with far less bloodshed."
Threnn looked mutinous for a moment, but reigned in her expression. Yasmin put a hand on her shoulder, "I know you're not a big supporter of the Orlesian Empire, and frankly, neither am I. But The Wardens stand apart from the Empire, the Kingdoms, and the City States. The system works that way for a reason. That reason was so that situations like what Loghain's reign during the Fifth Blight brought would never come to pass. Instead of two Wardens running around with a ragtag group of admittedly powerful friends, the Wardens would've stood Legion against the Archdemon. Loghain's political ambitions got so many people killed after the battle of Ostagar. That's why I hate the man. He was a general second to none, but as a head of state…he was a traitor to those who he had a duty to protect. He shirked his duty of care, for power no less, and I find that unforgivable." Yasmin realised that her rant had drawn the attention of the pair of Chantry sisters around the campfire and despite being out of Yasmin's eyesight, she knew that Sister Leliana was listening in her tent not twenty paces away. "I didn't mean to get so heated Threnn, that was unworthy of me." Yasmin grimaced.
Threnn gave the Herald of Andraste a long look before replying, "No need for an apology my Lady. I…I never thought about it quite like that before. I just couldn't get past how people would talk shit about Ostagar. I don't quite agree with you, but I'll certainly think on it." Yasmin grinned at the slightly shorter woman.
"That's fine. And keep your chin up; the Orlesian Left Hand of the Divine chose you to be our quartermaster. Obviously somebody wanted you around," Yasmin tapped her nose knowingly as she walked away and left Threnn with that thought.
Leliana had indeed been listening with interest to Yasmin and Threnn's conversation. She had a hard spot in her heart for Teryn Loghain, for all the suffering she saw his actions wrought on her wife Kallian. Though she supposed she could force herself to agree with Yasmin, tentatively. Maybe they'd talk about it. After all, it seems that the Herald was very well informed. Judging from Yasmin's cryptic mention of Kallian in their meeting a couple days ago before swanning off to explore haven, she probably knew more about Kallian than she hinted about; especially if she was able to talk with clarity about the immediate aftermath of the Massacre at Ostagar.
Elsewhere, Yasmin decided that Seggrit the merchant was a right arsehole and she'd find elsewhere to do business in the future…maybe someone Josephine could entice from Antiva or Orlais down the line perhaps? Perhaps she'd have a word with Leliana about it later.
The next morning, Yasmin was enjoying a brisk walk among the pines in the cold of morning, exploring the terrain around the frozen lake. She decided not to antagonize the herd of druffalo…for now, found a logging stand, and a set of medical notes in a rundown cabin. But she decided to finally get to work, so she made her way towards the smithy.
"So, you're her, the Herald of Andraste." Harritt the heavily moustachioed armourer said as Yasmin walked up to the forge outside the walls.
"That's what you people have been calling me, yes." Yasmin replied neutrally.
"What do you mean by 'you people'?" Harritt asked with a twitch of his moustache.
Yasmin shrugged, "Denizens of Haven?"
"Word of you has spread farther than this frozen shithole of a village. It's been days already, and there've been horses and riders in and out of the gates ever since," Harritt replied with a shrug.
"Josephine mentioned you could make armour for me?" Yasmin asked.
"Been expecting you to come by these last few days, though if you came by earlier, I wouldn't have been able to help you. Ah, yes. Well, Cassandra was the one to give us your measurements and preferences after the Breach did a number on ya, so I hope we were able to make these to your liking," Harritt responded as he gestured for the woman working the forge to fetch something. She quickly went into the hut and returned with something that made the herald smile.
Yasmin realised she'd have to thank Cassandra the next time she wandered up to the hurricane herself on the training ground. She glanced at Cassandra from where she could make her out in the distance, and yep, there were a few less training dummies now.
Harritt and his assistant had produced a set of dark armour that complemented her hair. Harritt had clearly gotten his information from Cassandra, and the information was good. The armour itself was deceptively heavy because it used a blue vitriol and onyx interlocking weaved chainmail mesh. Over that was hardened leather layered over and between thin-but-freakishly strong plates of Stormheart. To an enemy, it would look like she was wearing abnormally dark hardened leather armour, which was exactly how Yasmin liked it. The fauld made from paragon's luster with Nevarrite inlaid would be draped over her hips and extended down to surround her knees like a plated armoured dress, but it was oriented in such a way that it didn't hinder complex movement. Great bear hide gloves and boots with onyx plating wrapped with darkened samite for stealth also made Yasmin's eyes wide with glee. She was very excited about the whole colour scheme.
Cassandra definitely came through for her with this, and Yasmin couldn't help but squeal as Harritt explained that this style and material circumvented the typical disparity between weight and protection. Yasmin was maybe regretting being so cheeky with her former mentor. And perhaps, Yasmin hoped, that Cassandra regretted the way she treated her ex-apprentice in the dungeon and the rest of that day really. Bringing up her half-elven heritage was cruel, no matter the situation; even if it was implied. Yasmin had enough of being called a 'half-breed' by her fellow Seekers in training; she didn't like that such an insult fell so readily from the lips of someone who knew better. Someone she loved. If this splendid display of armour was Cassandra's beginning of an apology, Yasmin was willing to give the older Seeker another chance at reconciliation.
Oblivious to Yasmin's internal thoughts and hurts, Harritt continued in bright tones, "You must have friends in high places Herald, these materials would normally be very hard to come by. But they were very fun to craft with, let me tell you!" Harritt said, delighted at his benefactor's obvious delight with his work. "But that's not all the Seeker and Sister Nightingale commissioned for you," he said, gesturing for his assistant to bring something else over.
"Please call me Yasmin. Waking up and being called the 'Herald of Andraste' is more than a little unnerving. I'm still the same woman I was last week...mostly," Yasmin said quietly as she shook out her glowing right hand. Harritt considered her for a moment and shrugged as if the distinction didn't make much of a difference to him.
There was first brought over what looked to be a simple bolt of cloth, cut in such a way that it would be perfect for covering her Tranquillity branding on her forehead. "I'm not sure what this was for, probably an upgrade to that ratty bandana you've got," Yasmin didn't even flinch at his casual insult as she picked up the new accessory. It wasn't personal after all.
"This feels strange," Yasmin remarked as she touched the new and longer headband with care.
"It bloody well should! It's basically a strip of refined bloodstone chainmail mesh encased in a long pocket of wyvern scales leather. It's incredibly flexible, and I'm not sure how Sister Nightingale found the materials for that, or frankly the design for this. It took a few tries to get right. The first three versions had problems with the metal inside cutting through the leather; but I worked out the right partnership between wyvern scale and bloodstone that allow both strength and flexibility. The Seeker said it was important to you."
Yasmin picked up the head wrap with reverence and said, "Thank you for making this for me, it means a lot."
"Don't thank me, Herald. Sister Nightingale delivered the schematic to me in person. Seeker Pentaghast asked that her resources be shared with you for the moment, as I understand it your provisions were destroyed in the explosion. Don't expect the headband to deflect a direct blow from a sword or axe, but it should deflect most arrows and dagger swipes…ideally. You'll have to let me know how it goes!" Yasmin chuckled at the older man's enthusiasm. She got the feeling he was rather bored with his usual fare. She tuned him out for a few seconds but recovered herself when she heard the spymaster's name again.
"Sister Nightingale showing up behind me with the schematics for the armour set here without a sound was probably one of the scariest moments of my life, if I'm being honest. Her eyes just see you, you know? If she were a mage, I'd be worried she'd read all my thoughts," Harritt said with a small shudder.
"Well, you're fantastic Messer Harritt, and I appreciate your skills. They're certainly nothing to scoff at," Yasmin smiled. She briefly tapped her bandana-covered forehead before deciding to change it out with her new and drastically improved and somehow armoured band when she was back in the privacy of her new room. Or Josephine's room rather.
She'd probably need to talk to the Antivan about their sleeping arrangements, because she had the feeling Lady Montilyet would shoot down her offer to leave and sleep outside in one of these fine tents as she'd done the last couple nights. She'd been avoided the tiny Antivan just to forestall that conversation. Just then one of the tents, the one she had been sleeping in actually, flew loose as a rogue gale blew through Haven. Yasmin chuckled uneasily before turning back to the blacksmith, "You make weapons here too right? Should I bring you the materials for that?" Yasmin asked as she turned back to the blacksmith with a smile on her face, new equipment held lovingly in her arms.
"The Seeker said to go to her for your weapon. I would be happy to make you one once you're done talking with her. Between you and me, I think you've got the perfect form for dual wielding short swords," Harritt said with an appraising gaze.
Yasmin cocked her head with curiosity before nodding, "I may take you up on that actually. I usually alternate my fighting styles frequently enough to carry the weapons of multiple disciplines. I'll get back to you about that yeah?" Yasmin said with her Starkhaven lilt. Before walking away, she turned back looking sheepish and asked, "If nobody is in your cabin, would you mind if I changed into these?"
Harritt rolled his eyes at the young woman's zeal. "Might as well."
Yasmin skipped the short distance to the cabin as Harritt just shook his head and chuckled.