Author's Note: Trigger Warning for discussion of rape and rite of tranquillity. Yasmin may become irredeemable to some of you in this chapter, and I can respect that. If so, or if not, I'd appreciate a review telling me how you feel about it.

EDIT: I reuploaded this chapter because I forgot to upload the previous one...I fixed the problem.

CHAPTER 14: Into Darkness, Unafraid

"Just say what!"

"What?"

An arrow was in the man's mouth and out the back of his head before he could say anything else. Yasmin let out a surprised gasp. The cheeky girl actually did it.

"Eww. Rich tits always try for more than they deserve," the blonde elven girl was muttering as she pulled the arrow through his skull. Yasmin's eyes rose at probably the most Denerim accent she'd ever heard. "Aaand…you're just plain really. You're fit, and got some nice face carvings, but you're just a person. You're the Herald thingy right?"

"My name's Yasmin, and yes, I'm the Herald's thingy, pleased to meet you," Yasmin stuck out her hand as the girl grinned at Yasmin's joke. Cassandra made another disgusted noise and Solas looked ashamed to be in present company. Lysette covered her face to hide her embarrassment at Yasmin's sense of humour. Ser Bariss was also failing to hide a blush at the sultry tone Yasmin had taken.

The elven girl took Yasmin's hand and the Herald got a brief flash of dangerous and angry men with sword in an alley that looked so very tall. There was a full tray of cookies that was thrown across the room as she let out an anguished scream. Yasmin shuddered, but was used to this kind of thing. Well, she pretended she was used to it. As a side-affect of her bond with the Spirit Empathy, she occasionally got flashbacks from the 'louder thinkers.' Not complete flashbacks unless she really tried though.

"My name's Sera, this is cover, get 'round it," the tall city elf chirped.

"Expecting reinforcements?" Cassandra asked as she brought her hand back to her sword.

"Yeah, but the chambermaid tipped me the key to their inventory lock up," Sera began to cackle as the noise of angry soldiers was upon them. "They've got no breeches!"

Yasmin had seen a lot of strange things in her travels across Thedas… naked Orlesian mercenaries running at her with full upper-body armour and their cocks out was something that would unfortunately be seared into her memory for a while.

Solas' barrier immediately dropped over all of them, even Sera. Yasmin waltzed through the two fools that went after her before they could even launch an attack themselves. She decided to be merciful and avoided dismemberment, just landing a couple deft cuts to the throat. Cassandra shield-bashed one of them hard enough that his brain matter speckled the ground, and Sera put an arrow through each of the remaining mercenaries.

"So…that was traumatizing," Yasmin muttered as Sera walked over to her victims to retrieve her arrows. "Can you tell me what you bring to the Inquisition if I let you join? You're part of a spy network, right?"

"I'm no knifey shivdark like your personal spy king, or a noble like that prick over there," she gestured with a blood-stained arrow to the dead noble who's arrogance led him to an early death.

"I'm assuming you've got contacts in Denerim?" Yasmin replied. Sera's flinch was visible to them all.

"One or two, yeah. There's also a pair of brothers? Lovers? They're something or other, in Starkhaven, a fence in Montfort, and guard in Kirkwall. We fight for the real people, when you all up there, nobles like, shove your cods in everyone's faces." Sera thought for a moment and said, "Though if you wanted to shove you codpiece in my face, I might make an exception," Sera grinned as she unashamedly ran her eyes up and down over Yasmin's figure.

Cassandra's disgusted noise was joined by a similar sound from Solas and a deep laugh from Varric. "Please say we can keep her, if for nothing else because she drives the Seeker out of her mind."

Yasmin chuckled and took a step towards the city elf. "I'll take it slow on the codpiece bit if you don't mind. Keeping my options open for the moment and all. The world's a wee bit broken for me to be thinking of that right now. Besides," Yasmin leaned down to whisper in Sera's ear, "I'm not sure if you'd want this glowing beastie in your oven now would you?"

Sera was torn between arousal and horror; and judging by Yasmin's smirk, that was the intended response. "Well, it ain't on your bits though is it?"

"How did we get into this conversation?" Cassandra demanded as her cheeks were flushed from the embarrassing route this conversation had taken.

Yasmin laughed and looked Sera over. She was different in a way Yasmin couldn't quite quantify yet. But Varric was right. Sera would be worth having along to drive Cassie out of her mind. But Yasmin wasn't an idiot ruled by her attractions either; sure, the blonde girl was pretty, and the gleam in her eye was something Yasmin could see herself seeking more and more of in the future; the young woman was also a prodigious shot. The ease and speed with which she casually sunk headshot after headshot was a level of skill many veteran archers twice the blonde's age couldn't match.

"Alright then lassie, welcome to the Inquisition," Yasmin said with a smirk.

Sera's responding shout of jubilation was surprisingly wholesome despite the positively sinful nature of their earlier exchange, "Yes! I won't let you down Herald! This is gonna be grand."

"You can either go to Haven at the foot of the Frostbacks on the Ferelden side, or stay with us while we sort out some more things here in Val Royeaux," Yasmin said as she stooped to clean her blade on one of the dead men's sleeves. She was frustrated with all this enclosed area combat, she wanted to let her spear out a little and impale a man once in a while.

"Erm, it depends on what you're doing yeah? I know this city pretty well, where about is your Heraldy business?" Sera asked as she went around collecting the last of her arrows.

Yasmin took out a note they got from a noble in the square. "It looks like we're going to a party. Possibly another recruit to add to the list. Sera, would you like to join me?" Everyone looked at Yasmin with varied expressions of surprise.

"Wot? You sure about that, Herald? I mean, I don't usually turn down opportunities to piss off noble ponces, but if you need to recruit some proper ponce, you may want to take tall, dark, and smouldering," Sera replied, pointedly looking at Cassandra. Yasmin laughed a little before shaking her head.

"Nah. You're a part of this now, and I want to see how you handle yourself." Yasmin shrugged at Cassandra's look that said against all odds she was siding with the city elf on this one.

"This some sort of test of som'thin'?" Sera asked with more than a hint of annoyance.

"And you wouldn't test some new initiate to your Red Jennies to ensure they were good for business?" Varric spoke up. Yasmin flashed him a grin.

Sera considered the dwarf's words for a moment before rolling her eyes with a deliberately insolent sigh and said, "Like, a small burglary or what not. Sure, whatever. Alright, I'll go to your prissy party."

"May I go as well?" Lysette spoke up.

Everyone turned to her in varied states of surprise. "Oh, and why would you want to go to this gig?" Varric asked as he leaned against one of the crates splattered with mercenary blood.

"The note we got was from Madame de Fer. She may recognize me from the Circle in Montsimmard." Yasmin gave her a quick nod.

Yasmin gave the elf a very quick and surprising hug. The flush on Sera's skin went from her neck to the tips of her now noticeably pink ears. "Thank you Sera, I think it might be fun!"

One dead noble prick later

"What a terrible thing to say," Lysette muttered as they ascended the stairs. Already, Vivienne's servants (mostly elves) were cleaning up the corpse.

"Served him right," Sera muttered. Yasmin put a comforting arm on her shoulder.

"You're absolutely right," Yasmin agreed.

"Apologies Seeker," Madame Vivienne said to Yasmin first. "I'm terribly sorry for that my dears. Please believe me, that's not the sort of talk I find acceptable in polite company," Vivienne de Fer said to Sera and Lysette as she practically waltzed up the stairs. Though all three Inquisition noticed Vivienne's eyes missed Sera's, and looked over her head at Lysette despite the elf being the wounded party.

Yasmin regarded the mage with an edge of anger. She didn't miss the insinuation that Vivienne really didn't give a damn about her guest calling Sera a 'knife-eared cock-sheath'. And that was after he also slandered Sister Nightingale and Seeker Cassandra Pentaghast. There was no version of events where he left this place alive, after he was fool enough to say those things in front of Yasmin. If it weren't Vivienne's turning him into a malformed icicle, the Herald would've snapped the neck of the young lord herself…or Sera would've riddled him with arrows.

Not that Yasmin was surprised at the vulgarity on display in a place such as this. But she was certainly reconsidering her plans of adding this woman to the Inquisition regardless of her potential influence or rumoured skill.

"So, you're the ah…sexual companion of this Lord Bastien?" Yasmin asked once they had relative privacy. Lysette and Sera had decided to return to the buffet when Vivienne asked for a private audience. The mage was obviously displeased Yasmin had the gall to bring guests with her. Yasmin actually suggested they walk along the hallway, to one of Vivienne's private rooms. She wasn't sure what this negotiation would entail, but she could sense that a shouting match would make the Inquisition, and her, look poorly in such company. And as much as Yasmin would probably enjoy at least slapping the silly masks off of all these Orlesian elite, she knew Josephine would bleed her for it later if she made a fracas.

"I'm his mistress, yes. You're not one of the common rabble, you shouldn't lower yourself to their level my dear," Vivienne bit out. Yasmin gave her a saccharine smile in return.

It wasn't that Yasmin frowned on trading sexual favours for safety from the Templars and confinement of the Circle. It wasn't just Templars, or even male mages who abused the Tranquil. Sometimes if she wasn't in the mood for bloodshed or being discovered while undercover in a circle, she allowed the odd female enchanter to 'rape' her if it got her closer to the Phylactery vaults. But only when she was particularly bored and horny; and said rapist enchanter would suffer somehow before Yasmin left the tower. Vivienne decided to clarify her position, "I am the First Enchanter of Montsimmard. Defining me by my connection to Lord Bastien alone is beneath you, my dear."

Yasmin knew that Vivienne would feel shame about her arrangement with the married Lord Bastien, even if their relationship had genuinely developed positively. Yasmin also knew that many in the court see her has nothing else than the noble's mage plaything. Playing on Vivienne's insecurity wasn't a honourable tactic, but Yasmin had discarded such moral qualms long ago when dealing with people in power.

"And you seek to join my Inquisition. I've heard some things about you Madame de Fer. Is it true you are allied with the Templars against Grand Enchanter Fiona and the vast majority of the Mages of Southern Thedas?" Yasmin probed, dragging out the last bit unashamedly. She didn't feel the need to hide her politics from Vivienne. The Enchanter would figure it out soon enough; better that Madame de Fer knows now exactly the kind of woman she'd be answering to if she signed on with the Inquisition.

Vivienne shook her head, "No. They are little more than mad dogs now. But I assure you the mages under my command are yet loyal to the Chantry, unlike Fiona's whelps."

"Well, we aren't loyal to them. Or haven't you heard? We are heretics, proclaimed so in the Summer Bazaar not two days ago," Yasmin pointed out as she leaned against the window, still standing taller than the relatively tall mage. Though Yasmin had to give Vivienne credit where it was certainly due; that horned headdress the First Enchanter wore was almost arousing in its splendour.

"From what I understand, the Inquisition is trying to establish order. I stand with that ideal. The silly rebels valued their freedom so much they plunged our world into chaos for it. Surely as a Seeker of Truth, you can understand that need," Vivienne almost growled. Yasmin regarded her, having made her decision.

"And who are you loyal to, First Enchanter?" Yasmin asked.

"The people of Thedas, of course," Vivienne replied promptly.

"Oh? And what of the slaves? Your people?" Yasmin asked calmly.

"Slaves? Are you mad? Mages are not slaves! We enjoy food, shelter, and education," Vivienne responded; for the first time, her voice got louder than her normal formal drawl.

"You aren't paid, many of you have your souls muted, more of you are raped and otherwise violated by your precious protectors, and the vast majority of you are to never leave without being held down, head shaved, and Apostate brand pressed into your face upon your capture." Yasmin said calmly…too calmly. She was wondering how far she would go with Vivienne. If recruiting her was worth what she was planning to do to the privileged mage. And if she went through with it, if she was just the like the monsters she hunted.

"Please," Vivienne scoffed with faux amusement, "You clearly haven't been to many Circles. Perhaps Kirkwall was the mess you describe, but the others are sanctuaries for our kind. Any worthy Seeker of Truth would know that," Vivienne continued, unaware of the change in Yasmin's demeanour from angry to a dangerously silent wrath. Vivienne ploughed on regardless, waving her hand around dismissively, "Only the weak and undisciplined are made Tranquil. And they are unrivalled workers who are practically destined to do what they do. They're certainly no great loss to the Circles, after all, the Fromari are the best enchanters in all of Thedas, and they can only do so because they have been purged of their silly emotional predilections for mischief."

"And what have you to say about the rapes that occurred on your watch, the children you made Tranquil?" Yasmin spoke coldly.

"Young Mages cry 'rape!' when they want attention, or seek to smear the Templars who dedicate their lives protect them. No Templars confessed to such a crime during my tenure in Montsimmard. So the silly accusers were dealt with. They served the circle as Tranquil from then on, or slain as the Apostates they became. Such a pity, one of them was only twelve, the silly girl. Such wasted potential." Vivienne sneered. Yasmin took a deep breath as she steeled herself for what she felt her solemn duty directed her to do next.

"Firstly, the best enchanter in Thedas is the Arcanist Dagna, and secondly, let me show you the horror of the Circles you've revelled in. You irredeemable monster." Yasmin was thankful they were in one of Vivienne's private rooms with the door closed.

It might get loud.

Yasmin eventually intended to do inflict the same punishment upon Cullen as well, but Vivienne would do well to learn the plight of her people. What she was about to do next would be unforgivable to most in her party, if not all. Even she nearly vomited with revulsion; but she had a calling to make people empathize…'and how was empathy, true empathy possible without the experience required?' Yasmin thought as she drew on the spirit deep within her.

Before Vivienne could move or cast a spell, she felt Seeker Yasmin's finger on her forehead, and then everything went black…and then she deliriously began to beg for mercy.

Vivienne sank into Yasmin's outstretched arms and was swiftly deposited on the luxurious sofa. There was no mark on the Enchanter's forehead; Yasmin had limits to her cruel method of teaching. She'd never invoke the Rite of Tranquillity.

But short of that, there was little she would not do to even the scales with those she felt earned it. Those who failed to empathize with their victims, and who gleefully flaunted their power over those who could not protect themselves like Vivienne had been doing for years.

Yasmin's research had been thorough once she received an answering raven from both Josephine and Leliana describing in detail Vivienne de Fer's iron grip on the mages of Montsimmard.

Vivienne was liberal in her choice to inflict the Rite of Tranquillity on those who did not meet her steep expectations. Under her tenure, there had not been a single instance where Templars were held at fault or even questioned for events that led to a mage inflicting damage in what their hearing they testified as either self-dense or revenge for either themselves or their friends being violated.

Yasmin would show an equal amount of mercy to Vivienne as she had shown to the dozen or so teenage girls and boys she had made Tranquil. Yasmin's special brand of powers as a Seeker and her status as the symbiotic host of a powerful Empathy spirit allowed her to retain the memories of those she's touched. And during her time traveling from circle to circle destroying Phylacteries, she had gathered quite the archive of horrific memories involving Templar on Mage abuse.

Yasmin strode to the curtains, tore a small strip from the bottom, forming a makeshift gag for the mage as she begun to convulse on sofa. Vivienne's screams were muffled for the duration of her inflicted seizure cause by the foreign memories Yasmin forced her to live. Yasmin tried and not to hate herself for the tears that coursed down the whimpering mage's cheeks. She sat down in the chair next to her and waited.