Easily, I slip away from the group and head to the captain, the guy in charge of looking after the refugees.
"Ah you've returned," he smiles in greeting.
"Yes, here the ram meat and skins for the refugees to keep warm, we will try to send in more supplies to aid in you and the refugees' survival," I explain calmly. "Thank you the refugees and all of us will be in the inquisition dept.," he says in utter gratitude. "Don't mention it," I sigh tiredly. Grateful, the male leaves with the supplies.
"YOU DO CARE!"
Startled, I jump back from the screech and turn to glare at the giddy human.
Don't punch.
Don't punch.
Don't punch.
"You need to stop that! One day someone will get a heart attack from your antics!" I warn her.
"You care! You care! You actually have a soul and conscious!" She celebrates as I merely stare, my eye twitching at the excited girl. I see the others staring as well at the hyper girl and sigh.
"Let's just go back to Haven," I grumble, grabbing the girl with my gauntlet hand by her collar as she happily complies, humming happily in victory as I grumble curse words at the happy girl. Smirking, the elf and dwarf trial behind watching the silly pair while Cassandra sighs, grumbling under her breathe as they all head back to Haven…
However on our way there…
"So you and Cassandra know each other?" Evelyn asks Varric running the peaceful quiet walk towards the camp to return to Haven.
"You could say that she tabbed my books then demanded the location of Fox here."
"I did no such thing. Sure, I needed to know where Fox was. She would be a valuable asset in the mage and Templar conflict."
"She questioned me and then dragged Fox and I to give evidence at the conclave."
"That was her reasoning for letting us board anyway," I grumble tiredly slightly missing the soft sea salt air and the harsh waves of Kirkwall including the Hanged man. Ah that pub was great; Isabela owes me a drink after all this chaos.
"Which means you are now both free to go," Cassandra encourages.
"You ever get the feeling you're not wanted?" Varric smirks my way.
"All the time," I smirk back.
"Why do you call her Seeker?" Evelyn question, he brow furrowed in confusion and wanting to know Varric's purpose of the nickname.
"Because that is what Cassandra is," Varric shrugs.
"It's her job," I add shrugging.
"A seeker of truth, a sort of Templar didn't she tell you? I'll bet they didn't even introduce themselves properly or mention who all these soldiers are," Varric frowns.
"The prisoner is accused of a terrible crime," Cassandra reminds us.
"She has a name," I remind her back making her sigh as Evelyn smiles weakly at me.
"And yet you want her help. Unless you just decided to take her out and show her the sights," Varric teases.
"So who are they then?" Evelyn questions once more as we get closer to camp.
"Cassandra was the right hand of the divine while Leliana was the left hand of the divine," I answer her making her raise a brow in shock and she looks impressed.
"Respectively, they were the divines unofficial agents, doing things like gathering these soldiers ," Varric adds.
"For what purpose? Did they predict the war between mages ad Templars?" Evelyn frowns, uncertain.
"The Templar order was once the chantry's army but had abandoned them to hunt mages, a replacement was needed," Solas answers.
"For a mage you sure know what most mages do not," I mutter, my eyes narrowed suspicious of the elf.
"I have seen such in the fade," he shrugs making my eyes sharper at the reminder, of the apostate.
"It is more than that," Cassandra argues.
"Or so she claims," Varric mutters.
"Clearly the divine had something in mind for them, perhaps she too saw the Templar and Mage war was about to begin," I theorize calmly silencing the group, in deep thought over the mind of the late divine.
"Let's move on," Cassandra sighs tiredly and arrive at the amp, then return to Haven.
Evelyn POV:
Ah home sweet haven. Smiling, I look around, my leather boots crunching against the crisp yet soft snow as my skin shivers from the ice cold breathe of winter. My dark brown hair blows in the icy wind as I look around, my brow rising as my ears perk up at the sound of talking. Sighing, I decide to approach the tents where Leliana is in command with her scouts and her spy network.
However I stop myself later when I see the shaking scout under her cold, calculating expression and my footsteps slow their pace as I stop in my tracks, watching the conversation before me.
"There are so many question surrounding Varia's death, did he think we wouldn't have noticed? Still to kill Varia one of my best agents and knows where the others are. You know what must be done, make it clean, painless if you can," Leliana orders the scout, making my eye widen at her ruthlessness. Death solves nothing only causes more anguish and pain.
"W-wait hold on! Do you have to kill him? There are other ways, less stabby ways!" I argue stepping forward, gulping, ignoring the voices, screams and yells telling me to stop as the pair turn to me.
"He betrayed us, he murdered my agent!" Leliana argues.
"And you'd kill him? You would be as bad as this traitor and besides we don't know why, maybe this agent of yours was leaking information or maybe this traitor was blackmailed. We don't know that while story and to jump to murder is insane," I explain calmly, feeling my heart race in fright under her furrowed brow. "You find fault in my decision?" Leliana tests, her brow furrowed into a glare and arms crossed. I ignore the scream, yells and screeches, pleading for me to back down, but I can't not with another's life at stake, not again…
"Leliana I trust you, I know you are angry right now but do not let these emotions cloud your judgement. There are other more peaceful ways, capture the traitor and interrogate them for answers for example, but to resort to murder is reckless and makes you as bad as the traitor," I explain peacefully, recalling Lydia's teachings. "At first I was angry with the Templars, hated them for confiding us and wanted them dead, but Lydia stopped me, she taught me my blood lust if wanting the Templars dead and doing it would make me as bad as them, I wouldn't stoop to his level. I couldn't and didn't, not even, now will I stoop to their abusive, horrid levels of laying mages who did nothing wrong…" I explain solemnly, recalling my hidden anger back then, back at the tower, back home.
"Burder's betrayal put our agents in danger! I condemn one man to save dozens. I may not like what I do but it must be done. I cannot afford the luxury of ideals in a time of like this!" Leliana argues.
"Now is the time for ideals, the world is hanging, this war has created the chance for ideals to bring hope to the people and change in the traditional ways not the time for further bloodshed. This chaos has created more chaos than needed and to create even more would cause nothing but horror. Ideals are needed to keep those surviving hope, to keep those surviving alive, to keep those surviving faithful to Andraste, to the world and to change," I explain, my blood flow pounding as I feel the blood in my ears ringing for my speech. Silenced, Leliana blinks at my speech but quickly, turns her back to me and returns to the work.
Nervous, I stare at Leliana's hands on the table, in deep thought.
"You feel very strongly on this subject, very well I will see to another way to win this battle, apprehend Burder's and see to it that he lives," Leliana sighs tiredly as the scout leaves to get the traitor. Relieved, I suck in a shaky breathe, a sigh of relief hitting me as I feel a warmth of pride enter my body, melting through the icy chill of the winter climate in Haven.
"Now if you're more happy I have work to do," Leliana sigh and turns back to her work as I smile relieved and leave the spymaster to her work, feeling a change in the once tense air surrounding Leliana.
My once peaceful, calm and quiet walk around Haven is interrupted by the loud, obnoxious and raging yells of dispute. My slow pace walk transforms into a quick paced run, please don't be Fen biting another mage healer, please don't be Fen biting another mage healer, please don't be Fen biting a-
Startled, my quickened steps that make the snow collapse inside itself and try to trap my leather boot inside the soft sloppy snow, the snow stops me at the fight between the mage refugees and soldiers, some once Templars now shouting angrily at one another.
"Your kind killed the most holy!"
"Lies! Your kind let her die!"
"Shut your mouth mage!" The Templar draws his blade.
Startled, I jump back at the reckless soldier as I feel a familiar nostalgic sense of terror from the warrior.
"Enough!" Cullen intervenes, stopping the male from drawing his blade as I feel a familiar sense of fear hit me, paralyzing me making my feet unable to move, stuck from the fear of the death.
"Knight captain," the warrior calls out. "That is not my title anymore. We are not Templars any longer. We are all part of the inquisition," Cullen reasons making me sigh relieved from the situation now in control thanks to Cullen.
"And what does that mean exactly?"
Frowning, I sigh at the familiar pompous voice of Chancellor Roderick.
"Ah preying on the inquisition now, as expected of a coward, fitting for you Roderick."
Surprised, I raise a brow when I see Fennic approach, a few mages stare at the elf in awe and amazement even while a few Templars nod in respect of the female.
"This has nothing to do with you elf," he glares daggers at Fen who remains unfazed. "And this argument has nothing to do with you as I recalled the chantry has no influence here, meaning you have no influence here," Fen smirks at the sneer sent her way by the male.
"Back already chancellor? Haven't you done enough?" Cullen greets the chancellor trying to act nice but the tone implies his annoyance towards the chantry man, not that I can blame him. He can be quite the prickly thorn at times but I know it's his faith that fuels him, like most of us.
"I am curious commander as to how your inquisition and its Herald will restore order as promised," Roderick answers making me frown at the man, trying to foil our handwork.
"Of course you are," Cullen grumbles tired of Roderick.
"We will," I step up making a few others step back. I ignore the urge to flinch at the fear in some eyes and notice a few looking proud and amazed at me, mostly from the mages, to see a fellow apostate in a role such as mine.
"Oh will you?" Roderick frowns.
"Yes whatever it takes for there to be peace, we will help those suffering, we will close the breach and we will save Thedas from the cause of the breach!" I declare proudly, feeling a wave of confidence and adrenaline hit me, easily overpowering the tiny voices screeching, screaming; pleading for me to stop. Silently, I ignore the eyes and glares sent my way. Nervously I bite my lip and glance at Fen shaking her head in silent agreement while the mages nod, in agreement and amazement from my speech, the Templars meanwhile continue to glare, uneasy about me being a mage and the power given to me as they back down from both Fen and Cullen's silent glare.
"Back to your posts all of you," Cullen orders as the group of both mages and Templars disperse and return to their posts, resuming their duties.
Shyly, I turn to see Cullen smiling warmly at me making a wave of heat enter my cheeks as in look away, shoeing down the butterflies erupting in my stomach. I better go check on Cullen; I can't just leave him with a raging cleric bent on destroying the cause we created, that would be mean.
"Mages and Templars were already at war, now they are blaming each other for the divine's death."
"Which is why we require the proper authority to bring them back to order," Roderick states.
Let me guess the chantry, as yes let's make all the mages tranquil that always works! Who cares that those tranquil are forced to and have no choice, it's not like they have feelings," Fen remarks sarcasm evident in her tone as I raise a brow at her words.
"I-it's not like that," Roderick stutters.
"Oh isn't it, Kirkwall showed me differently," Fen argues as Roderick glares.
"You? Random clerics who weren't important enough to be at the conclave," Cullen scoffs.
"The rebel inquisition with its so called Herald of Andraste, I think not and a mage at that, a apostate, a abomination the chantry swore to protect its children from, I think not," Roderick argues as I feel a slight pain from his harsh words, but I can't blame him, mages have been feared for ages, told to behave and such or else they will meet their fate sooner or worse…
Silently, I look away at his harsh words, he does have a point. I was in that tower for a reason so were the rest of my friends and loved ones.
"Why can't we work together? The inquisition is working fine like one big happy family," I reason trying to be positive. "How many families are on the verge of splitting into open warfare with themselves?" Roderick questions.
"Yes because that would never happen in the chantry," Cullen remarks sarcastically making Fen smirk widen making me raise a brow at her.
"Centuries of tradition guide us. We are not the upstart eager to turn over the applecart!" Roderick argue angrily.
"Tell me then, how do you know these traditions you follow are true even? Where is your proof, history lies, generations of Andraste's tales differ in the lands of the Tevinter and Ferelden. How do you know your tale of Andraste is true? Because it was told through generation to generation? Stories like that are filled with lies or schemas that change the story, morphing it far form the truth," Fen explains making my eyes widen impressed by her words while Roderick is silenced, merely glaring hatred at the unfazed Fen.
"Cullen why is he here?" I ask curious trying to break the tenseness surrounding the trio.
"Clearly you Templar's know where to draw the line,"
"He's toothless there's no point in turning him into a martyr because he simply runs at the mouth. The chancellor is a good indicator of what may happen in Val Royeaux," Cullen explains.
"Is the Templar and mage-"
I stop in my words when I spot Fen speaking to a scout then nodding as she is given and reads the parchment given then turns to me, shaking her head and gently guiding me away.
"We don't have much time or else we'll be late," she whispers. Puzzled, I nod and turn back to Cullen dealing with the chancellor. "Good luck with all this mess, make sure no riots break out," I ask kindly making Cullen smile and another wave of heat to hit my cheeks as I glance away.
"The walls will be standing when you return…I hope," Cullen confesses as we both feel a familiar nervousness but nod weakly at each other, trying to give the other strength as Fen guides me inside the chantry.
"Honestly you and Templar boy makes me want to vomit," Fen deadpans.
"H-huh me and Cullen w-what do you mean?" I look away feeling a wave of anxiety.
"It's as clear as day and I thought my brother and Hawke were sickening when flirting, you two are like a pair of love struck teens," she says as I feel nervous, embarrassment and irritation hit me.
"No we're not! I just think he's a comrade and besides we barely know each other," I reason blushing as Fen gives me a look of uncaring.
"Honestly, I don't give a shit what you do, your life your choices just be careful with curly, once a Templar always a Templar," she mutters almost warning me, making me frown slightly at her words.
"Ah you care!" I tease smiling; feel a sense of joy at the thought of her caring.
"I don't" she states.
"You care," I tease grinning madly.
"I don't," she states.
"You care!" I declare happily as she grumbles curses at me.
"So…how big is this war? I don't know much about this war since we were so busy either fleeing from the Templars or arguing about those wanting to join the rebel mages in the fight. We fled from both Templars and mages alike, thinking they were spies for the Templars, I always imagined it as big but only in Ferelden," I confess, shivering at the horrid memories of Lydia pleading, telling, shouting at those desperate, resorting to blood magic or fleeing to join the reel mages. Lydia…
"I believe it to be worldwide, Kirkwall has triggered a war that coming from the very beginning. It was bound to happen one day and Kirkwall was the catalyst to the chaos we live in today, it's bigger than you thought. Many have been inspired to follow the rebels, those in Orlais perhaps even in Tevinter," Fennic explains coldly.
"Did you know this would happen back then?" I ask bravely looking into her cold dead eyes to see a hint of sorrow, guilt and anger.
"No. I thought we were just a group of friends wanting to survive in the city of chains," Fennic explains stiffly as I see the hurt in her eyes and the betrayal. I wonder what Fennic went through to make her the way she seems, I know Varric's book tells me of some of the events but still, hearing it from Fennic would be more reassuring and perhaps more understanding from her pervious mind-set to her now present mind-set in a way, if that makes sense in a way, heh…
"Thanks, I know it may be hard to talk about," I answer making her raise a brow but merely nod as we enter the war room, with the war table in sight.
"Having the herald address the cleric's isn't a bad idea," Josephine begins as I nervously stand by Fen, leaning against the wall by her side. I don't know why but she seems to keep me steady, makes sure I don't collapse from my nerves with her nerves of steel.
"You can't be serious!" Cullen frowns t the idea making another wave of butterflies hit me from his refusal, protective over me and his voice, he sounded truly against it, could he be worried about my safety but the real question is does he care because I'm the herald or because I'm me…
Or maybe I'm just thinking too much and rushing into things? Heh. Most likely…
"Mother Giselle isn't wrong. At the moment the chantry's only strength is that its united in opinion."
"And we should ignore the danger to the Herald?" Leliana argues annoyed.
Nervous, I look down trying to gather my voice only to fail as Cullen, annoyed and desperately scratch his head in deep thought while Leliana frowns against Josephine's idea, she on the other hand is smiling, not angry or happy just smiling.
"What do you think?" Fennic's voice snaps me out of my thoughts as my startled, wide forest green meet her cold, stoic, metal like turquoise orbs.
Shakily, I take in a deep breathe and force my head up high, recalling mother's words as my eyes meet all of the advisors and Fen nods, encouraging me to speak up.
"It could work, the chantry is powerful, it has many people under their faith, we could have as agents or their influence to gain the supplies needed for the refugees and such but it's risky. Too risky, I'm more worried that it won't solve anything, instead we may end up in a needless loop of discussion," I explain calmly. "I agree, it just adds credence to the fact that make people think we care about what the chantry says," Cullen reasons and Fen nods her head in agreement.
"Fennic and I will go with her. Mother Giselle provides names, use them," Cassandra tells Leliana.
"I really have no say in this," Fen grumbles under her breathe making me smile weakly at the grumpy elf.
"But why? This is nothing but a-"
"What choice do we have Leliana? Right now we can't approach anyone for help with the breach, we should use the influence we have to gather the clerics then talk to them and talk this through," Cassandra reasons as we all nod, agreeing with her words.