Shartan walked out on to the balcony, spying the Duke he walked over, Cassandra had since stayed with Cullen to protect him from the women of the court. The Duke nodded his greeting and offered a glass of spirits, which Shartan politely refused. After a few moments of idle chatter, the Duke looked at Shartan and spoke.
"I am going to take a guess here and say that you have plans for me none of which involve me ruling on my own?" Shartan raised an eyebrow at the man impressed.
"I never believe what the whispers say until I confirm it, and I must say I am glad they were wrong. You are no fool your grace, I thought I had hidden my intentions quite well." Shartan praised, Gaspard inclined his head.
"I had no solid reason, other than your skill at the game, that and how all of your remarks about my dear cousin are vague enough to be about someone else." Shartan smiled widely, this man was far more than he had been led to believe.
"You are right, if need be I intend to chain you some way to my power, not because I don't trust you but because I do not know your views on the elves." Shartan said honestly, Gaspard laughed.
"Inquisitor you are an interesting man! Have no fear for the elves, well many nobles may treat them harshly, I know that they just as smart and cunning and skilled as humans or any other race." Gaspard assured, Shartan nodded.
"Good, I hope to make an alliance with you and Briala, the elves are a people that too many over look. You humans and the other races forget that we are the oldest race in thedas, we may have lost much but elves are a force many forget. Think Gaspard how many elves are in key positions in your kingdom, in the shadows we wait and we will have out kingdom back from your empire soon… It can be give freely and you gain allies or… taken with blood of every noble house in your empire spilling massively in the dead of night." With that Shartan walked away, smirking when Gaspard flinched as an elven servant offered a refill of his wine.
###
Briala watched that inquisitor move through the halls of the servants' corridor, great sword hacking his enemies to piece. Her spies had told her of the talk that the man had with the Duke, the threat and mention of the kingdom of elves confused her greatly. Up until now the man's only goal seemed to be the sealing of the breach and ending of the war, now though it seems he wanted a kingdom for the elves. Briala would have dismissed this as ravings if it was not for one fact, she had been unable to confirm the backstory of this man and that unsettled her enough to believe his goals were real.
Briala had offered a talk with the inquisitor when she has confronted him in the servants wing, but she had not expected him to arrive so quickly back at the party and to her side. "Might we speak somewhere more private my lady?" Shartan offered, Briala nodded and followed him out of the party.
They walked a bit until Shartan led them into a storage room, one Briala knew well, as her Evluvian sat in the back of the room. Before she could speak, Shartan walked up to the mirror and reached out. Briala smirked, no one except those who knew the password she had set could get the portal to open, and she knew that Shartan did not have the password.
[Sul Ma'goddess Viane.] Shartan intoned, to Briala's shock and awe the mirror shimmered and became a portal.
"H-How?" "All in good time, come." With that Shartan entered the portal, and Briala raced after him.
"How could you open the portal? The passcode has not changed and that was not it!" Briala demanded the moment she was in the crossroads.
"Easy, all high priests and divine ones were able to open any of the walk ways not locked by the gods themselves. It only works for those though any others would need to be guided by us." Shartan explained, Briala gapped.
"Before you ask I was a high priest, still am, I am the last of the high priest of the elvhen empire. You Briala are in an interesting postion, one that I have been waiting for, soon I will make my move and will need your help if I am to return the dales and the graves to their rightful owners. And as the woman who is about to be the shadow ruler of this nation I will need you help." Briala nodded, her mind already working out what this could mean for her people.
"And what is it that makes you think I want to work with you?" Briala asked, not wanting to be walking in blind, Shartan laughed.
"My child you have been working with my for years, half your agents are followers of mine. I am just revealing myself, so that we can start the real hard work of bringing the elven people together again. The Dalish and city elves need to understand that our religion matters not, it is that we are all of the same blood and the rightful rulers of this land. But for now we should settle for the Dales and graves back." Shartan spoke, Briala could barely believe his claims, but they did explain somethings that happened in the past.
"All right you have yourself an ally, what do you need from me or tonight?" Briala asked.
"Nothing, just don't protect the empress when the time comes, she will get what is coming to her. Several of my descendants died in that culling of hers so she will pay the price for attacking the people." Shartan explained before bow and leaving the mirror, Briala followed a few moments later wondering how this night would play out.