Chapter Two: The Seeker's Distrust

Author's notes:

Hello! Thanks for stopping by to read this chapter. I changed up the dialogue a bit so we aren't totally rereading the script. I hope you will like the chapter!

{Thank you to Awesomeness-xxx, Sarapyon, HardyxLover, salllzy, KingOfTheIceLord, Larwen, Leseratte14, Meissia, Starbuckathena, KrystylSky, and Annunbalien for the favorites and follows. You guys rock! Er...I mean, May the Maker watch over you *bows with ladylike manners* I hope you will continue to enjoy the story! }

And a shout out to KrystylSky for the review! I didn't know that about the three families and I am always eager to learn more :3

"Has she improved?" Cullen asked again, for what seemed like the tenth time that day. Adan, the dark bearded Alchemist sighed wearily at the Commander's incessant questioning. The young man had been hovering over the Alchemist ever since the lass was put under his care. "No, she is still the same as she was ten minutes ago." The Alchemist replied with irritation evident in his voice.

But, Cullen seemed daft to the man's tone and blind to the glare as he continued to hover over the grumpy man's shoulder as the woman's pulse was taken. Suddenly, Adan turned around to grab a potion, only to find his nose just barely touching the breastplate of Cullen's armor. "Gah!" The Alchemist gasped in surprise. "I must say Commander Cullen, do you not have an army of soldiers? Maybe you could glue yourself onto one of them instead?!" The incensed man groaned as he edged around Cullen's large armored figure and swatted away tickling black feathers. The irate man longed to be back in his potion brewing hut, rather than playing healer and having the Commander as a shadow.

Luckily, this time the point made it through the Commander's thick skull, for Cullen looked slightly taken aback at Adan's quip. "Such a nurturing man you are. I can't wait until I am wounded on the battlefield and under your care." Cullen stated sarcastically as he rolled his blue eyes. "Neither can I," grumbled the older man as he waved away the Commander. Distracted, the Alchemist missed the rapid eye movement underneath the woman's eyelids as she dreamed.

"Eva? Eva! Where are you going?" Cried out a teenaged Evelyn as she watched her older sister being tucked into a carriage in the dead of night. It was just by chance that Evelyn woke up thirsty and wandered down the great marble stairs, only to watch in shock as her older sister was being escorted out the front door by a group of silent Templars.

Delicately curled and wavy dark chestnut hair framed somber green eyes set upon a slim olive skin face. Evangeline's eyes widened in shock as she turned around to catch sight of her distressed little sister watching from the front entrance. "Evy," the young woman breathed before she was urged into a dark traveling carriage. She peered out of the carriage window as the horses neighed, and the vehicle lurched forward. Evelyn was still too young to understand the dangers Evangeline posed to the family by being a mage. It was better this way. She knew it was...so why were tears rolling down her cheeks?

"Where is she going?! Where are they taking her?!" Evelyn screamed as her father restrained her, preventing the lass from running onto the dirt road and after the departing carriage. "She will now be living at a Circle, so that her powers are monitored. It's for the best." Evelyn wiped her teary eyes as she asked, "The Circle at Ostwick?" At least it would be close so that Evelyn could visit her sister. "No, the Circle at Kinloch Hold." Replied her father. "Fereldan! So far away...why?" Evelyn asked as a wave of fresh distraught washed over her. "No more questions from you, off to bed now." Ordered her father.

Evelyn later learned why Evangeline was sent so far away. It was because the Trevelyans, with such strong ties with the Chantry, had been ashamed to have a mage in the family. Soon, they pretended that Evangeline had never existed. But, Evelyn didn't...

She would rescue Evangeline. She would...do nothing for as the young woman finally came to her senses. Evelyn found her hands tightly bound within cold steel shackles as she sat upon a hard wooden chair. "What the…" But, just as she whispered those words while gazing at her restraints, her left hand twinged as muscles twitched involuntarily. A glowing green light suddenly grow bright from under her skin before it lept through, causing a sparkler-like bang of green electricity to crackle before dissipating into the air.

As Evelyn looked up at the disappearing plume of soft green smoke, she became aware of the damp stone room she was in and that two, no four gleaming steel blades were pointed directly at her. What did she do this time to find herself in a dungeon?! Suddenly the heavy dungeon door swung open and two women walked in.

The first woman had a strong, intimidating look about her. Her brown eyes seemed to gleam in the torchlight as she stomped towards Evelyn. On the other hand, the second woman walked more slowly, carefully, as she kept to the shadows of the already dark dungeon. Her hood blocked most of her face from view, but Evelyn swore she saw strands of fiery red hair.

"So," Started the first woman in a sharp accent as she halted right in front of Evelyn, crossing her arms and glowering down at the restrained young woman. "Let us start with a few basic questions. The first being your name." Evelyn had no intention of further angering this menacing woman, but she frowned back with equal displeasure for she had no idea what she could have done to be treated like some war criminal!

"I am Evelyn Trevelyan, youngest daughter of Teresa and Evan Trevelyan." The young woman replied proudly, before adding, "Modest in temper, bold in deed." It was the Trevelyan family motto that her tutor had reminded her daily off. Though the reaction her answer caused was quite different than usual. Usually, people's eyes widened in recognition of the 'Trevelyan' family. However, the older woman's eyes narrowed as she gave Evelyn a critical look that made the young lass wary.

"So you are not Evangeline?" The woman suddenly asked with a frown. "I...wait what? What does Evangeline have to do with this?" Evelyn asked feeling startled to have her sister's name thrown at her. Her surprise was quickly replaced with anger as her fists tightened, causing her skin to rub against the binding shackles. "My sister has been dead for years!" Evelyn stated bitterly. She...and her sister didn't end things on good terms before hearing the news of Evangeline's death at the Circle. Evelyn never truly knew what happened, but she was angry at the time...and didn't care.

For a moment, the older woman looked genuinely sympathetic for Evelyn. The lass didn't think those imperious dark eyes could soften, and look kind. But, it was so brief for the woman had hitched back on a frown in the blink of an eye. She began to walk slowly around Evelyn, and it worked in making the lass feel nervous. "Well, this is getting better and better. The sole survivor states she is a Trevelyan, Leliana." The older woman remarked over her shoulder and the shadow behind her shifted slightly as the second woman only murmured a soft and thoughtful, 'hmmm.' Then Leliana added gently, "There were a handful of Trevelyans attending the Chantry conclave, Cassandra."

Evelyn had nearly forgotten about the other woman and noticed how Leliana's gleaming blue eyes had been watching her closely from underneath her shaded hood. As if checking if there was any hint of lying or guilt in Evelyn's facial expressions and body movement. But, Evelyn's attention shifted again. The older woman...Cassandra...what had she just said? "Wait, did you just say? That I am the sole survivor?" Evelyn asked feeling confused and unnerved as Cassandra prowled behind her like some predatory feline.

The Seeker was still having trouble wrapping her mind around what had happened. But, she obliged in reporting the three known facts, "The Conclave was destroyed. Everyone who attended is dead." Cassandra turned slightly to point directly at Evelyn as she stated, "Everyone, except for you."

Evelyn's face paled in horror at this news. "Aunt Madeline...and Aunt Regina of the Chantry? Gone… Uncle Reinhold and my nephew, Matthew, he had just become a Templar...and now he is, dead?" Evelyn's honey brown eyes tore away from Cassandra to stare at the ground in shock. It felt like only moments ago that she had shared breakfast with her relatives before attending the Chantry conclave together. Yet, even the entire conclave had been destroyed?! What in Maker's breath happened! And why couldn't she remember...

Cassandra wasn't buying the act, though the paling face was quite convincing. But, the Seeker had had her fair share of assassin's who were quite skillful actors and actresses. Take Leliana for example. But, then the Spymaster remarked gently from the shadows, "Those names are indeed of the Trevelyan family and the individuals were present at the conclave." As Justinia's Left Hand, Leliana had made sure to memorize and check all those attending the conclave.

But, the Spymaster's words did nothing to sway the Seeker's opinion on their prisoner. "That proves nothing, Leliana. Family members can turn on their own blood and slaughter many others." Cassandra sneered as she looked down upon the lass, who still did not look up.

"I would never…" Whispered the young woman, as her voice slightly shook. "What?" The Seeker asked in confusion at the lass's mumbled words. "I said, I would never hurt my family! Nor harm innocent people!" Evelyn shouted scathingly as she raised her head. Her messy dark chestnut hair framed eyes filled with tears as she glared up at Cassandra.

The Seeker glared venomously back and raised her own voice as she snapped, "Then explain this!" Cassandra grabbed Evelyn's shackled hands, her left hand glowed and crackled as a poisonous green light was emitted from the mark. Evelyn pulled her hands back, but she had no answers to give. "I...I don't know why my hand is like this. I've never used magic or had this, this thing on my hand." As she tried to explain it, the green light upon her hand slowly faded.

Trying to calm her own frustrations, Evelyn closed her eyes. And in the darkness she recalled another world. One of shadow and ash. "Wait!" Evelyn blurted out as her eyes opened to see both Cassandra and Leliana now focused on her. "I remember a staircase of stone! Upon it was a woman glowing, she was glowing the same green light as my mark. But, things were chasing me and I fell. My knee collided with the stone staircase, here look at it!" Evelyn stuck out her sore leg, showing how her legging was torn at the knee and a purple bruise had formed upon the exposed skin.

Seeing her own wound matching that of her memory strengthened Evelyn's resolve. The lass was sure she had sounded like a mad woman raving of a glowing spectral woman and acting paranoid. But, now her voice was stronger, Evelyn was more sure of herself as she continued, "Spiders, I had been chased by large nasty spiders and kicked one as it attacked me. Then I ran, I ran towards the green glowing woman and when I reached out my hand to her...she just engulfed me in that blinding green light." Evelyn finished gently as she looked down to see that her hand was once again normal.

Though, there was something else...but Evelyn didn't want to disclose it just yet. The voice in that world, the soft feminine voice that had called out to her and urged her to run...it was Evangeline's. Evelyn was sure of it, but how was that possible?

The two other women exchanged knowing glances before Cassandra finally made her decision. "Go to the forward camp, Leliana. I will take Evelyn to the Rift." The Spymaster looked a bit wary at leaving the two woman alone. She was sure that demons would not be the pair's only problem when they clearly had an issue between themselves. Leliana could only pray to Andraste that the two could get along long enough to sort things out.

Cassandra waited for the Spymaster to take her leave before she turned to see that Evelyn had been watching her. The dark haired lass quickly averted her gaze to scowl at a nearby wall, as if the stones had hurled insults at her. "Come," Cassandra commanded, only to receive a fresh angry look from the lass.

The Seeker had been through much these few days. She had been completely overwhelmed at the loss of Divine Justinia and the entire conclave. But, she also recalled that if true, Evelyn had just learned that she had lost family members and was now plagued by the light on her hand, which she had received through a harrowing experience. Cassandra sighed as she added, "Please."

At that word, Evelyn's glare lessened...slightly, as she nodded and rose from the chair. Though any hope of having her shackles removed were dashed as Cassandra swiftly turned her back upon the lass and lead her out of the dungeon.

More rambling notes from the Author:

I hope you are still enjoying the story and original content I added in. I wanted Cassandra and Evelyn to have a bit more of a rockier start before their friendship develops.

Again, thank you for those who have favorited, followed, and reviewed. I would love to hear from you and enjoy discussions!

Also, I am slowly setting up the history between the sisters, which I hope will be a nice twist for events to come. Though, I am trying to figure out the actual timeline to calculate how long it has passed since Dragon Age 1, 2, and 3 (Inquisition) so I can get ages correct (not over or under age the characters; especially Cullen and the sisters). For now I am keeping the ages vague so I don't have to greatly readjust things.

(DISCLAIMER) I do not own nor claim to own any of the Dragon Age Franchise and Bioware's work. It is from the team's own brilliance…though my original characters are from my own madness.