Eventually, we return to Haven, I wince from the winter chill nipping at my skin, now I miss Val Royeaux blazing sun, warming me up, much different from the winter chill of Haven. The warmth of the chanty candles welcomes me as the warm wind brushes against my quivering cheeks, which I happily welcome the warmth as Cassandra and I return inside the chantry, only for my ears to perk up at the sound of calm footsteps. We turn to a relieved Josephine; behind her are Leliana and Cullen. Warmly, Cullen smiles gently at me making me look away briefly as I push down the butterflies wishing to erupt from my stomach and fighting back, against the heavy ruby red blush. Got to focus, got to focus, got to, oh my gosh that scar…
"It's good you returned. We heard about your encounter," Josephine smiles gently at us.
"You heard?" Cassandra frowns confused and probably stress from Lucius, I can tell. My agents from the city sent word ahead of yours," Leliana approaches.
"It's a shame the Templars abandoned their senses as well as the captain," Cullen crosses his arms. "At least we know how to deal with both mages ad Templars now, we learned something," I try to add, trying to be positive about this.
"Yes and now we have the opening to approach the Templars and the mages," Josephine adds making me nod in agreement as all us of begin to walk towards the war room, to plan the next idea or which side to choose.
"Do we? Lord Seeker Lucius is not the man I once knew," Cassandra sighs.
"True, the order is somewhere but to do what? My reports have been very odd," Leliana confesses making me frown, worried about the cryptic messages. "I'm sure not everyone in the order will support the Lord Seeker," Cullen reasons.
"Or the Herald could simply go to meet the mages in Redcliffe instead," Josephine offers.
"You think the mage rebellion is more united it could be ten times worse," Cullen reasons.
He isn't wrong; it could be a trap…
"Look, I…I don't know okay we should all just discuss the idea and do a vote together," I reason praying for the decision and pressure to not fall on me, I mean I would choose the mages, I know a little bias but they could help us, they have more knowledge on the breach than the Templars.
"I agree," Cassandra nods in agreement.
"They are in Redcliffe, they may be worth the risk," Josephine suggests.
"They are powerful ambassador but more desperate than you think," Cassandra exclaims making me raise a brow, intrigued by her idea.
"What do you mean?" I ask curious. If some of the rebel mages are responsible for what happened at the conclave…-
"The same could be said about the Templars," Josephine counters Cassandra.
"True enough right now I don't think we have enough influence to approach the order safely," Cullen states. "The inquisition needs more agents that's something you can help with," Cassandra exclaims.
"In the meantime we should consider other options," Josephine leaves to plan the next step for more influence, followed by Cullen leaving to tend to the troops with Cassandra's aid, leaving me with a quirt Leliana who approaches, brow furrowed.
Ugh, all this pressure, all this violence, all this chaos on one single choice, a choice I will no doubt have to make urgh…I hate this. Stressed, my fingertips tug at my hair as I try to re arrange my thoughts…
"There is one other matter; several months ago the grey wardens of Ferelden vanished. I sent word to those in Orlais but they have also disappeared, would it normally, I wouldn't consider their place in all this but the time is…curious," Leliana reports.
"That does sound odd, perhaps they wish to have normal lives and want to erase themselves from the world, the Blight traumatised many people," I offer. "I suppose but the others have disregarded my suspicion but I cannot ignore it. Two days ago my agents in the Hinderlands heard of a Grey Warden by the name of Blackwall. If you have the opportunity please seek him out, perhaps he can put my mind at ease," Leliana explains.
"And if he can't?" I ask worried.
"Then they will be more going on than we thought," Leliana leaves, leaving me alone with the pressure building and the big decision on the horizon…
Mages or Templars?
Why me!?
…
Fennic pov:
"Oi Elfy!" Scowling, I turn to the familiar voice and glare at the blonde.
"I have a name," I remind her.
"Yeah what is it?" She asks.
"Fennic," I mutter.
"Oh like the animal, weird name," she says.
"I'm just going to ignore you now," I deadpan turning my back to her.
"Hold it! Your bow how does it work?" Sera asks making me frown.
"Huh, you're not elfy right?" She asks a different question making me blink.
"Elfy?" I questions unsure.
"You know like baldy," she points at Solas making me snicker at the nickname, okay she's going up in my book now.
"Nope," I deadpan.
"Good lets drink," Sera reaches out to grab my wrist only for me to flinch back, making her frown.
"I'll just follow you," I state as she frowns but complies as we enter the local pub of sorts and sit down alone.
Loudly, the people cheer, the bard sings happily much to the people's cheers as the room is bustling with gossip.
"Here we go!" Sera grins eagerly gulping the pint down while I merely take an experimental drop of it, only to frown annoyed.
"This is nice," Sera smiles appreciating the weak stuff.
"Not strong enough," I mutter.
"Huh, this is nice," Sera frowns.
"It's nice, but I've had nicer," I reason.
"Oh yeah where?" Sera asks.
"The Hanged Man, now that was a pub, quiet, miserable but most of all depressing," I smile.
"That's better than this?" Sera frowns. "You had to be there, that place served truly strong drinks, knowing you would be miserable and wanted to forget, they were strong," I recall some even falling off their chairs having a coughing fit from the drinks, I smile.
"Sounds nice, wouldn't mind going there for a while," Sera smirks gulping down her weak drink.
"Tell me what's with the markings then if you're no elfy?" Sera frowns.
"Not my choice, birthmark," I shrug half lying, I mean after that day, I was reborn in a sense. Sera stops', seeming to get that was a rather sensitive subject.
"What about that bow of yours? How does it do that?" She questions as I sip my drink. "I connect them, got it upgraded from some guy in Lowtown," I shrug causally, Hawk got the parts for me and I had the money for it to become this, I gesture to my current weapon. "Nice," Sera whistles in admiration. "It's useful I'll say that what about you? What's your deal with the Dalish?" I enquire curious.
"Don't like them. I was raised by humans, people presumed I'm Dalish you know and it pisses me off, them Dalish sprouting all about their gods and how I should believe in them, it's bullshit," Sera states making me nod in agreement. "That I agree with you," I nod. "You don't want to get too preachy though," Sera states. "Yeah, just causes more trouble than its worth," I nod my head in agreement. "Well good, good to see another elf like me," she smiles as I merely nod. I can see a bit of her in myself sometimes…
"So how did selling those breaches go?" I ask curious making her giggle.
"Breaches, heh, but yeah got my money, some of the profit is paying for these drinks, oi, you should pay me back next time we go drinking!" She grins. "I don't see why not, free drinks is my price besides I could share some tales from back at Kirkwall. Good to know, I don't have to deal with hobo anymore," I smirk with Sera then after drinking the rather weak drink, I leave the girl to her celebrating in the bar alone…
Eve POV:
Since Vivienne's arrival, I have had to make sure the best of the best for her. I mean she's an enchanter, an authority, a woman of high influence and regard in the circle. Calmly, I enter the chantry, the warm glow of the candles greet me as the warmth breathe of the candles welcome me, making me shiver from the warm waves of the orange fiery flames. My feet softly enjoy the soft embrace of the ruby red carpet of the chantry. Determined to make a good impression on a fellow circle mage, well an enchanter, a respected authority in the circle I once lived in. I search the chantry; my nose smells the smoky essence of candle wax and a collection of dust and heavy essences in the chantry. My ears perk up at the whispering prayers sent by mother Gisele inside praying for the Inquisition's success, the people and for peace to return.
There she is! Smiling I spot a familiar lean figure, her back turned to me as her head is bowed to the hard wooden desk, lit by the faint glow of a lit candle as I notice a variety of papers on her desk from healing potions to all sorts of aliens ones, I have never seen, mostly likely for the eyes of enchanters only.
Shakily, I take in a shaky breathe. It'll be fine, she's a mage I'm a mage but she's an enchanter, she's a woman, I'm a woman, she's a noble woman, she was raised in a circle I was raised in a circle, she became an enchanter, oh dear Maker hat if I mess this up, she could leave and then the inquisition could be domed, doomed, oh n, oh no, no, no, no, no….
"Ah Evelyn darling," surprised, I turn to the voice to smile nervously at the usual calm, confident and collected noblewoman, an enchanter, my superior, noticing me.
"Don't just stand there, come," she smiles at me which I return a nervous one. I approach, trying to steady my racing heart, wishing to leap out of my chest and flee to the Hinderlands…
Vivienne is wearing her attire similar to the party where I first met her, just no shiny silver mask this time and no two horned hat, revealed her shaved bald hair. Vivienne's wearing however a familiar set of snow white and silver garb mage like robes only looking nobler, greater and more powerful than the mages robe worn back at the tower. They look cleaner, sleeker and much prettier than the ugly robes back at the circle; don't get me wrong, I appreciate the gift of clothing to help with my magic, but the robes looked disgusting, they looked revolting, dirty and hideous. Mm, perhaps the clothing of mage towers differs depending on the area? Perhaps in Orlais, the towers there have more stylish garbs than Thedas circle towers? Hmm, I'm curious now.
"You came from the circle of Ostwick, did you not?" Vivienne asks me, her high heels clicking against the stoic stone tiles of the floor, the click of heels echoes in the chantry.
"Senior enchanter Lydia was a dear friend of mine. Were you at all acquainted?" Vivienne asks intrigued as I feel a sudden arrow in the heart of anger, guilt and sorrow from the mention of her. Sorrowfully, I feel my nervous smile falter and fall into a crestfallen expression.
"Lydia was like a mother to me, to us all, her son was also like a little brother to me, she took care of us all, she cared for us all like a real mother. She was the best of the best, kind, wise yet sharp, never offend her. She taught me spells not mages my age would have learned," I explain my voice cracking slightly as Vivienne spots my saddened expression and match it as well.
"I never met a wiser soul then her. Her son, Dio showed great promise; I was surprised they allowed him to live in the same circle as her, but knowing Lydia and her stubbornness she refused to be separated from her own blood," Vivienne smiles bitterly. "You have no idea. She was protective, if a Templar came an inch with a blade, Lydia would send a most scornful of glares, scaring even the knight commander away. Sometimes we joked that Lydia was the knight commander keeping the Templars in check," I joke bitterly chuckling sadly at remembering the past.
"Yes, I understand she was killed by one of her own students when the Ostwick circle rebelled…"
Wincing, I blink, looking away as I feel the urge to vomit at the horrid memory. The lie that became reality for those outside that dreaded tower on that dreadful day…
"What are you doing!?"
"What has to be done. Don't you see this is our dream! We can leave! Just come with me!"
"Drop the knife please…please…"
"What's going on here?"
"NOOO!"
…
"I think we both agree that this war must end," Vivienne's sharp determined and firm words snaps me out of my daze as I blink, shaking my head forcing the horrid memory back as I numbly nod.
"I…I believe the circle had many problems but it's an institution we all need. I believe it depends on the person, sometimes it works, creating great powerful mages such as you, Vivienne however, not everyone can follow and learn from the circle, teaching methods are different, perhaps other methods can be taken to help us control our magic, different methods in the circle or entirely different methods would be best," I explain calmly seeing Vivienne's smile then neutral expression.
"I wish more people understood the truth of this. Justina's death has shattered the balance of power in Thedas. If it is not restored quickly, countless lives will be lost. Mages, Templars, innocent people of all kinds now look to the inquisition to decide their fate," Vivienne informs me making me nod in understanding as I feel another familiar wave of pressure hit me. All those people, men, women, children and others people of other beliefs, races and such are depending on me and my choices, even one mistake will shake the world to their core. Frightened, I feel a shiver of fear from the choice of my decision. Slowly, I take in a shaky breathe and nod.
"I'll do what I can, I will not let you down," I whisper as Vivienne nods, smiling proudly at my determined expression. Sighing, I turn my back to her, deciding to head off for some thinking time…