CHAPTER SIX: HUMANS, ELVES, AND DWARF

"I'll make sure Quartermaster Threnn gets the list, Master Adan," Sparrow said, tucking a note in her pouch and patting the apothecary's arm fondly.

Adan merely gruffed in reply. "Go," he said, waving his hand. "Just don't forget. Small doses every after meals, all right?"

"Yes mother," Sparrow laughed, and to reassure him, patted the small pouch containing his vials.

"Oh, and if you can, could you try to find Master Teigen's notes for me?" Adan added. "He was onto something before... that explosion, and he might have left them somewhere. I'd go look myself, but with you lot needing care," he rolled his eyes and Sparrow stopped herself from laughing, "I can't."

"No problem," Sparrow said, struggling to keep her face straight.

"Get going then," Adan said, and waved his hands more vigorously. She closed the door gently and walked out of the apothecary's hut, smiling softly to herself. They were truly lucky they were able to have Master Adan's services. True, the man was constantly grumpy about something or the other, mostly about him not being a healer, playing "Mother Hen" according to him, but his healing potions were enough to patch up even those who were severely burned at the Temple. They were enough to get her going through the endless rounds of errands waiting for her.

She saw Solas emerge from another hut at the side. The elven apostate stood facing her, hands at his back in a polite gesture, and as she neared, he greeted her gently. "Sparrow."

"Messere Solas," Sparrow responded in kind. She slowed, and stopped in front of him.

"Might we talk?" Solas asked.

"Why? Do you require anything?" Sparrow asked.

Solas shook his head. "Please, there's no need to be hostile," he said, remarking on the guarded stance Sparrow didn't realize she was making. "I'm merely curious."

"I wasn't being hostile –" Sparrow tried to explain, but Solas again shook his head.

"I merely wanted to ask: How long have you been in the employ of the Sister?"

Sparrow looked into Solas' eyes. It was a mistake, recognizing him at the Chantry, and letting him recognize me, she thought, chastising herself. But the mistake had been done, and now she had to pay for it."Nearly two years now," Sparrow replied guardedly.

Solas nodded. "Two years..." he whispered. He straightened and gave a small smile at her. "I hope you're well enough now."

"As you can see," Sparrow said.

"Why, what happened?" Sparrow and Solas both turned to look at Vanessa, who walked towards them. She threw her arms around Sparrow in a hug. "I'm so glad you're all right."

Quite relieved at the distraction Vanessa made, Sparrow returned her hug and released her. "I'm happy you're awake too," she said. Then she saluted her in the same manner as the soldiers, right fist on chest, and bowed. "Herald of Andraste."

Vanessa shook her head and held Sparrow's arms. "Stop," she said. "Please don't call me that. It makes me feel awkward."

"Nevertheless, you are these people's Herald, whether you will or not," Solas responded as Sparrow straightened from her bow.

Vanessa turned to him. "Solas," she said, extending a hand towards him. He took it, shaking it briefly before letting go. "Let me have a sense of normalcy when I'm with you, please?"

Solas nodded. "Perhaps when we are conversing, as we are now, we may be informal to each other," he mused. "Posturing is necessary, however, so pardon us if we use Herald to refer to you."

Vanessa shook her head at Solas' adamant stance. "What was that about Sparrow not feeling well?" she turned to Sparrow, with a look of concern on her face.

"It was nothing, Herald – Lady Trevelyan – Vanessa," Sparrow amended, based on the frown on Vanessa's face at the first addresses, then the smile at the last. "I got a few injuries at the Temple, that's all."

"She was too close to you when you closed that large rift in the Temple," Solas said, ignoring the glare Sparrow threw his way. "The two of you were unconscious when the magical wave cleared and the rift was closed."

Vanessa's eyes widened in understanding. "Are you all right?" she said, holding Sparrow's face and turning it gently from side to side, as if looking for wounds on it.

Sparrow shook her head. She took Vanessa's hands in hers and gently pried them off her face. "I'm all right, as you are," she said, smiling reassuringly. "You don't need to worry about me."

Vanessa nudged Sparrow with her shoulder. "I expect we'll be working closely together, from now on, now that I've signed on to help with the Inquisition."

Sparrow smiled. "Of course He- Vanessa," she said, involuntarily sighing at Vanessa's glare when she attempted to use her title. "I am a scout of Sister Leliana, and I shall do my duties well."

"The Inquisition?" Solas asked Vanessa.

"Apparently, the Divine left a command with her Hands to build an Inquisition, similar to the original Inquisition that first created the Templar Order and the Seekers," Vanessa explained. "We'll be asking for your help as well, Solas." She smiled at him.

He, however, looked away. "An elven apostate mage in the middle of Chantry forces? These conditions are not exactly congenial for one such as I."

"What do you mean?" Vanessa said.

Solas smiled wryly. "I am an apostate," he emphasized, seeing the uncomprehending look on Vanessa's face. "I may be a mage, just like you are, but unlike you, I don't have a magical mark on my hand. Cassandra has been accommodating, but you understand my caution."

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "Cassandra wouldn't..." she started to say, but the small smile at the corners of Solas' mouth indicated his distrust of the Seeker. "If she wouldn't, then I would do my best to protect you."

Solas said nothing. It was subtle, and if Sparrow looked closer, she could see in his eyes his distrust of Vanessa as well, despite the Herald's declaration. Vanessa seemed to notice that too, and Sparrow saw her look uncertainly at him.

Solas noticed Sparrow's and Vanessa's scrutiny of him, and looked away to avoid their eyes. "I will stay," he said, "As of now, at least. As long as the world is in shambles, I will do my best to assist you in any way I can." He looked pointedly at Sparrow, then returned his gaze to Vanessa, and still saw her looking at him.

"I'm sorry," Vanessa said suddenly.

Solas were puzzled. "What for?"

"I... Does it bother you to work with... humans?" she asked hesitatingly, uncertainly, looking desperately at him to see if she offended him with her words. "I ... apologize if I've been too forward, assumed too much..."

"Are you asking because I'm an elf, and that our differences in race affects my ability to render aid?" Solas asked, quite slowly, as if he was confirming what he thought she was asking.

Vanessa made an involuntary step back. "I didn't mean..."

Solas, seeing her hesitation, scoffed. "The fact that I, an... elf, kept that mark from outright killing you, a human, should have already answered your question before you even uttered it." Vanessa opened her mouth to say something, but Solas raised a hand to stop her. "I have pledged my assistance to this cause, and I shall see it through to the end, Herald," he said, making a small bow towards her. "If you'll excuse me." He turned towards his cabin door and walked towards it. At the doorway, he paused. "I wonder what you, Sparrow, would say to that," he murmured, before pushing open the door.

His door slammed shut at Vanessa's remorseful face.

"Let's go, Vanessa," Sparrow said gently, pulling at Vanessa's immobile form. At her touch, Vanessa turned to Sparrow with a miserable face.

"I didn't mean to say I doubted him," Vanessa wailed as they slowly walked away from Solas' hut.

"I know," Sparrow murmured.

"Now, I've offended him, and I so wanted to have him on my side," Vanessa said dejectedly as they reached the bottom of the steps that led up to the Chantry.

Sparrow sighed at Vanessa's wishes. Solas, on anybody's side? She inwardly shook her head. She didn't notice Vanessa falling too quiet until they reached the tents where Sister Leliana was. As it was, she had to look back and see Vanessa a little behind her. "What's wrong?" she asked, turning to her.

"What did Solas mean when he told me to ask you the same question?" Vanessa asked.

Sparrow looked down, then pulled off her hood to reveal her pointed ears. "I'm an elf too," she answered, and Vanessa looked horrified.

"I'm so sorry!" Vanessa ran up to her, and threw her hands around Sparrow. "Please forgive me!"

Sparrow was puzzled. "For what? For me being an elf? You didn't give birth to me, you know," she said jokingly.

"I didn't mean that!" Vanessa cried out. "I meant me being insensitive towards both you and Solas!" She released Sparrow from her embrace, then hung her head. "I never meant to doubt you. Of all people, you were the first to be kind to me." She looked up at Sparrow. "Are you... angry at me?"

Sparrow smiled. "I'm not as oversensitive as Solas," she answered, inwardly rolling her eyes at the elf in question. She took Vanessa's chin and gently lifted it to raise her face. "Unlike him, I suppose, I've gotten used to coexisting with humans. It doesn't bother me in the least to help them, or dwarves, or other elves, for that matter. The world needs saving, and if I can help, I will." She took Vanessa's shoulders and squeezed them reassuringly. "And if you need me, I'll be by your side to help you, I promise."

She took her leave of Vanessa to do her work for the Nightingale. But her thoughts returned constantly to the Herald, to Vanessa, in whose hand lay indeed the fate of the world.

She then looked towards Solas' hut, whose door remained shut. A human's hand, Solas. That should be interesting.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Varric found Vanessa listlessly walking towards him. He waved his hands vigorously, but he noticed she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. He had to walk forward, and almost got bowled over as she walked straight into him.

"Varric!" Vanessa cried out, stopping just in time in front of him. She quickly put on a smile, which looked too forced.

"Hey there, Healer," Varric said in his gravelly voice, nudging her in the direction of his tent. "Or is it Herald?" He was trying to tease her, but the wince Vanessa gave at his words told him to stop.

"Please don't," Vanessa said wearily.

"All right, then, I'll stick to Healer then," Varric said kindly, looking at the dejected face she was making. "Let's get warmed up. You're a fellow Marcher, after all, and I bet you don't like this Ferelden cold at all."

"How did you know?" Vanessa asked, curiosity brightening her features for a short while.

Varric shrugged. "I have my ways." He nudged her to the direction of his tent, where they sat on the logs near the fire in front of the tents.

After a few minutes of Vanessa being silent and lifelessly throwing little sticks into the fire, Varric had enough. "Okay, talk to me, Healer. What's wrong? Did Cassandra give you a hard time again?"

In response, Vanessa raised a hand... to slap her lips three times. "It's – this - thoughtless – thing!" she said, her face scrunching not in pain but in irritation, apparently at herself.

Varric quickly took her hand away from her face. "Why why why? What happened?"

Vanessa made a small pitiful face at Varric. "I made a big mistake," she said. "I said something so offensive to someone, I think we won't be talking anymore, much less working together."

Varric laughed. "If it's the Seeker, it's no great loss, I assure you," he said. "In fact, it's best you don't talk to her. She isn't that fun to talk to, honestly."

Vanessa shook her head. "It wasn't the Seeker," she answered. She looked into his eyes with her sad ones, and asked him, "Does it bother you that you're helping humans?"

Varric was taken aback for a few seconds, then looked thoughtfully at her. "It doesn't," he answered. "Human or dwarf or elf, we're all people affected by the same thing – the Breach. Thousands of people died on that mountain. I was nearly one of them."

"I see. That's good then," Vanessa replied.

Varric looked curiously at her. "Was that the wrong thing that you said?"

Vanessa nodded dejectedly.

"Who did you ask it to?" Varric persisted.

Vanessa sighed. "Solas," she almost whispered.

"Ah. Chuckles." Varric understood perfectly why she was in low spirits. "He definitely won't take too kindly at that kind of question."

"I wanted to apologize as soon as I asked the question, but he cut me off," Vanessa wailed. "Now, I don't know what to do." She took a stick and poked at the fire. "I'm not very good with people, you know?" she said sadly. "I've lived in the Circle for most of my life, and the only contact I've had with people was with my mentor and the occasional templar who'd check in on me every now and then. The elves I've known were servants who kept to themselves. I remembered trying to ask some of them about trivial things, but they kept looking at me like I was some crazy person that I stopped talking to them altogether. I don't know much about dwarves except for what I read about them, and the first ones I've ever had contact with were keen to avoid me as well. You're the first one I've actually talked to, honestly."

"So when you asked Solas..." Varric prodded.

"I thought..." Vanessa shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I think now. He's offended, and I don't know how to apologize."

"Healer..." Varric said "You've gone from the most wanted criminal in Thedas to joining the armies of the faithful... Most people would spread that out in more than one day. You've been through a lot, more than most of us. And, as you said, you've been accustomed to being alone, so I think you'd be forgiven for making social mistakes." He grinned. "If I knew Chuckles, he isn't that well-versed in dealing with people as well. Give him time."

Vanessa continued staring at the fire. Varric took pity on her. "Now that Cassandra's out of earshot, how are you holding up with the Herald thing? It must be quite overwhelming."

Vanessa sighed. "It is," she agreed. "It's been a few days, but I haven't yet accustomed myself to people calling me something else other than my name. Like, how am I the Herald of Andraste? What did I ever do to be called in the same breath as the Prophet? I just thought I was just lucky to be alive."

Varric smirked. "You were lucky you survived Cassandra, though you were most probably out cold for most of her frothing rage."

Vanessa managed a small smile. Then, turning pensive, she continued, "None of these things should have happened at all. All those people shouldn't have died, the Divine should still be alive, the Conclave should have proceeded and this war between mages and templars should have ended." She put her feet up and hugged her knees. "I should have been back at Ostwick by now," she added wistfully. "Now, I don't even know what's happening anymore."

"That makes two of us." Varric looked up at the Breach, which still loomed green over them. "For days, we've looked at that hole in the sky throw down demons, and Maker-knows-what. "Bad for morale" is an understatement. But you came, with a strange mark on your hand, out of the Fade itself. Even I can't imagine someone was in there and lived."

"It was pure luck that I escaped," Vanessa said. "In fact, I don't even remember how I escaped the Fade."

"They have all kinds of stories about you, Healer," Varric said. "First and foremost, are you innocent?"

"I don't remember," Vanessa muttered. At Varric's incredulous expression, she threw up her hands. "I swear!"

Varric chuckled. "That will get you every time. You should have spun a story."

Vanessa laughed bleakly. "I didn't even know what mess I was in, to be honest. I'm not even sure that I believe any of this is happening to me."

"Is it your good luck ... or bad?" Varric remarked. "On my part, if this is just the Maker winding us up, I hope there's a damn good punchline coming." He sighed. "You may want to consider running at the first opportunity."

"Why?"

Varric looked at Vanessa's innocent face, and thought to himself how young she was to be burdened with the fate of the world, remembering another similar face. "I've written too many tragedies, I guess, to know where this is going," he said sadly. "Heroes are everywhere, I've seen that. But that hole in the sky? That's beyond heroes." He sighed. "We're going to need a miracle."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sparrow and Leliana looked over Vanessa and Varric talking together.

"She is young, too young for this, Nightingale," Sparrow said.

"I know that, Sparrow, but we have no choice," Leliana replied, her eyes still on Vanessa. "She has the mark that could close the Breach. She is called the Herald of Andraste, as well. Both are very interesting qualities we can very well make use of."

"What will she do?"

"Close the smaller rifts, for one," Leliana answered. "Charter sent us reports on the places where rifts are opening and bringing out demons. We have to take care of those first. They'll be going into the Hinterlands in a few days."

"She's just barely recovered, Sister," Sparrow said, surprised, turning to Leliana.

Leliana, in turn, looked at Sparrow. "You sound so worried, Sparrow," she said. "Has she grown on you already?"

"I just think the Herald is unprepared for something as large as the Inquisition," Sparrow replied.

"But she is the most equipped for it." Leliana gave a small smile. "If you're that worried for her, perhaps you should go with her."

"Why?" Sparrow asked, puzzled.

"We need to keep an eye on her," Leliana answered, "She is a mage, for one, and we never can know what she will decide to do in the end."

"You don't trust her," Sparrow said.

"Trust is not an issue. We need to know how her actions will impact this Inquisition, especially now that we have made her a temporary figurehead for it," Leliana said, her features turning cold. "The Divine did not give us her writ for the Inquisition to fail. I won't let it fail."

Sparrow looked at Vanessa laughing at one of Varric's jokes. "She won't let it fail," she said softly.

Leliana studied Sparrow's features, then followed her gaze. "You may be right." She turned away and walked towards her tent.

After a moment, Sparrow followed her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In the inner room of the Chantry, a group of people were gathered again at the great table. Leliana and Cassandra were at the head, and on either side of them were Cullen and Josephine. Vanessa was at the opposite side of the table, and beside her were Varric, Solas, and Sparrow.

"We shall decide now on what to do as the Inquisition," Cassandra began.

"The Chantry now knows of the Inquisition, and is doing everything to discredit it," Josephine reported. "As I'm sure you know, people are calling you, a mage, the Herald of Andraste. That frightens the Chantry. The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we, heretics for harboring you."

"Chancellor Roderick's doing, no doubt," Cassandra said.

"This limits our options," Josephine continued. "Approaching the mages or templars for help is out of the question, at least for now."

"If my reputation as the Herald of Andraste," Vanessa pronounced the title with distaste, "is the issue, shouldn't we do something to deny it then?"

Leliana shook her head. "The view is widespread already," she said, "and even if we did contradict it –"

"—which we have not," Cassandra interjected.

"—everyone is already talking about how you've physically walked out of the Fade, with an unknown woman behind you," Leliana continued. "You're even the sole survivor of a blast that killed thousands of people. You have to admit those were odds that an ordinary person could never have survived."

"People are desperate for a sign of hope," Cassandra said. "For some, you're that sign."

"But to others, a symbol of everything that's gone wrong," Josephine said.

"So the Chantry isn't more concerned about the Breach? The real threat? Still?" Vanessa asked, frustrated.

"They do know it's a threat, just that they don't think we can stop it," Cullen answered.

"They're telling everyone we're going to make it worse," Josephine said.

"There is something you can do, and why we called you, Messere Solas and Varric," Leliana said. "A Chantry cleric by the name of Mother Giselle has asked to speak to you. She is not far, and knows those involved in the sabotage against the Inquisition far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable."

"Why would someone from the Chantry aid someone who's a declared heretic?" Vanessa asked.

"I understand she's a reasonable sort," Leliana answered. "Perhaps she does not agree with her sisters?"

"So we ask you, Herald: Will you go?" Cassandra asked.

Vanessa looked at their expectant faces. "It is... comforting that you are asking for my opinion," she said. "I will."

"At any rate, you're not going alone," Cassandra said. "I shall accompany you." She looked over at Solas and Varric. Solas merely nodded, while Varric exclaimed, "Of course!"

"Sparrow shall go with you as well, as your personal bodyguard," Leliana said. Cullen looked up from his papers, towards Sparrow then back again at the papers. Vanessa looked over at Sparrow, who gave her a reassuring smile.

"A bodyguard?" Vanessa said. "I can defend myself well enough."

"We can't take any chances, Herald," Sparrow said. "You have to be protected at close quarters. I am skilled enough, and I will do my best to protect you." Vanessa smiled.

"You have you team now then, Herald," Leliana said. "Mother Giselle will be in the Hinterlands, near Redcliffe, tending to the wounded who were caught in the mage-templar war. That's where you'll be going."

"Look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition's influence while you're there," Cullen suggested.

"We need agents to extend our reach beyond this valley, and you're better suited than anyone else to recruit them," Josephine said.

"In the meantime, let's look for other options," Cassandra said. "I won't leave this all to the Herald."

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