Quick Stop in Cumberland
The journey was going to take several weeks by sea. Alistair and Bethany estimated it would take three weeks by air, weather permitting. They knew they couldn't just fly forever. It was tiring to be a bird. Stopping along the way to camp or find a comfortable inn from time to time would mean they could make it with, hopefully, fewer mistakes.
Fortunately, there were several small villages and towns along the northern coast of the Waking Sea that ended up good places for rest. They were making good time. The storms weren't terrible this time of year.
Surprisingly to the Hawkes, the smaller villages they stopped in seemed to be more sympathetic to the mages than the larger ports. Many of the people were angry with the Chantry once the word got around about the abuse of young women and children in many of the Circles. Sadly, the stories about Kirkwall's Gallows weren't blown that far out of proportion. However, the smaller towns and villages were pretty well ignored by the Chantry prior to Justinia, so the Hawkes decided that they shouldn't be all that surprised.
The Hawkes had never been very far west of Kirkwall. The largest city to come upon after Kirkwall was Cumberland … the home of the Circle of Magi … and even still the home of the Grand Enchanter … Alistair's mother. She survived Andorhal and, since the chaos in Orlais was at a lull, for the moment, Bethany and Alistair decided to check it out for news.
As they neared Cumberland, Alistair circled around a tall hill outside the city, landed and changed back into Alistair. Bethany reformed next to him. "Everything okay?" she asked.
Alistair took a deep breath. "Maker, Cumberland is three times the size of Denerim."
"Do you think Fiona is here?" Bethany asked. She always knew what was really bothering Alistair.
After running his hand through his hair and walking in a circle, he said, "I don't know." He pointed to a golden spire. "I think that's the College of Magi." He grinned at Bethany. "Maybe we should just fly by this one?"
She came over and hugged Alistair. "I'm not going to try to influence you one way or the other," she said and then leaned back. "But, I've never seen you shirk from anything before."
"Oh ho! Not trying to influence me, eh? Just pull on my manly pride." Alistair laughed and returned her hug double. "But, you're right. We're a little early. Maybe we can get in. Maybe there's someone else we know there? Maybe she's out of town, maybe?"
Bethany began the spell to shapeshift into her raven. "Never know 'til we try!" Alistair swore that the sparkles surrounding the shift were always brighter when Bethany smiled at the same time. Must have been the dimples.
Alistair followed her lead and soon they were circling the grounds of the Circle of Magi. It was hardly abandoned. Light shown from every window and people could be seen walking around inside. And, the front gate was even open. It looked like mages and Templars alike were walking in and out.
Bethany found a spot in an alley outside the gate to shift back. "It's so busy! The Gallows looked deserted most of the time … I guess because it is. Looks like here it might be better if we try the front door first? What do you think?"
Alistair looked around the corner toward the gates and then at themselves. There was no outwardly sign that they were mages. Some Templars were well-tuned to the presence of magic. It was a risk, but he nodded and said, "Have your shifting spell ready." He grinned and swept his hand forward. "Ladies first!"
"Coward," she said with a giggle.
As they walked up to the gate, the Templar on the right said, "What business have you at the College of Magi?"
"I'm Beth and this is Alis. We would like an appointment with Grand Enchanter Fiona?" Bethany asked with an added dimpled smile.
He gave her and Alistair a once over. With a return smile, he nodded to the other Templar who turned and went inside. "The Grand Enchanter has only just returned from Val Royeaux." He motioned to a bench just inside the gate. "Please wait there."
In short order, a mage both of them knew walked out of the door: Alain, one of the mages who got caught up in Decimus' crazy group, but surrendered to Ser Thrask. Alistair was glad to see that Alain survived. No one knew where all the mages … who Alistair and his friends helped to escape Meredith's Rite of Annulment … had scattered.
Alain's eyes grew wide when he saw who was sitting there. Fortunately, he caught Bethany's slight head shake, meaning not to make a scene. "Please follow me. The Grand Enchanter will be able to see you shortly." He whispered to a young man with him who ran ahead, presumably to alert Fiona.
Alistair thanked the Templars who had let him and Bethany in. Both of them had knowing smiles on their faces. He had the distinct feeling both of them knew exactly who they were. Hopefully, they were friends of Cullen's.
When they entered the large double doors, Bethany had to stop and catch her breath. "Dear Maker," she whispered. There were hundreds of mages, young to old, sitting at long tables, reading tomes from the walls of books surrounding the gigantic room. Bookshelves were stuffed with reference materials. Windowed cabinets were stocked with tools and components of magic. An entire cabinet by the doorway was crammed full with ornate staves of all sizes and colors.
Alain chuckled. "I had much the same reaction when I got here, Bethany. We're trying to set up here like First Enchanter Anders did in Ferelden. Every Templar here is committed to upholding the Maker's word as it is written … not the way the more power-hungry are trying to interpret it. Divine Justinia is as supportive as she can be."
"I've always wanted a purple staff," Alistair mumbled as he followed Bethany, who just rolled her eyes, and Alain, who laughed.
Soon they were in front of a door labeled, "Grand Enchanter". Alistair froze. He knew about Fiona, had written her and gotten letters from her on "Champion" business, but had never met her. He knew … that she knew … that Duncan had told Alistair about his birth mother. Still, to be here.
Alain opened the door and announced them quietly. "The Champion and Bethany Hawke, Grand Enchanter."
Fiona was there, standing in front of her rather large, cluttered desk. "Thank you, Alain," she said with a solemn face. On first glance, she was short and slight … typical for an elf. She had short, dark hair and wore a typical Circle robe. But, her large dark eyes were expressive.
Alain bowed. "I'll be just outside if you need anything, Grand Enchanter."
After Alain left, Bethany started to giggle. Both Fiona and Alistair looked at her like she'd lost her mind. Then, Bethany stopped and smiled. "I just didn't realize that messy desks were an inherited thing."
Leave it to his little sister to break the ice. Fiona smiled, then. "Hello, to you both."
"Hello," Alistair replied and then took a deep breath. "I never thought it was going to be this tense." He smiled in return. "I'd love to take the time to visit, but we don't have that much time, I'm afraid."
Fiona motioned toward the fireplace. There were four chairs around a small table … all pretty haphazardly placed. "Have a seat. I think I know why you're heading west. Lord Seeker Lucius met another Seeker ship from Kirkwall and took custody of the Tranquil Velanna, taking her to Val Royeaux for a trial. He stopped in Cumberland to try to recruit our Templars into his command. He failed."
"How did he know about her?" Bethany looked alarmed.
Fiona shrugged. "Ser Marsen, our Knight-Commander here tried to get Lucius to say, but he just said she was a known maleficar from a botched Tranquility ritual. When pressed for a more complete answer, Lucius only said that the world was becoming impossible to correct. That perhaps the world needed to end in fire so it can be reborn with a better society. You've heard of the Order of Fiery Promise, yes?"
"That sounds a bit ominous," Alistair said quietly. "I'm very surprised that Lucius didn't just execute her." Alistair told her everything Devon had shared about Velanna, as well as how Seekers are created. "And, not knowing that Velanna was a possession abomination, Sister Nightingale put her on a Seeker ship from Kirkwall." He looked toward Bethany. "I think the real question is, 'How did he know so fast?'"
"Seeker ships have birds for communication," Fiona mumbled with a frown and then continued with increasing anger, "So, Seekers are touched by a spirit of compassion to break their solitude-induced Tranquility. They've always known how to reverse Tranquility?" She slammed her fist on the table. "How many lives could have been saved at Andorhal if they'd only been honest!?" She stood and paced. "They didn't even tell the Divine! She had to send poor Pharamond to Adamant to conduct experiments and find out if it could be reversed. Andorhal would never have happened if Lambert hadn't wanted to cover up Pharamond's experiment by killing everyone who knew."
But, Bethany was only half-listening. "The Order of Fiery Promise is pretty militant." She looked with alarm at Alistair. "They're heading to Val Royeaux?!"
"And, now, he's just captured the one person who might be able to do end the world … or, at least, the Chantry … in a fiery blaze," Alistair said as he jumped out of the chair and paced. "The reason we're in a hurry is to stop Velanna. She has the means and the will to destroy … things. The Grand Cathedral. The White Spire. Val Royeaux. Her spirit of justice has been warped somehow into a demon of vengeance. I don't even think going into the Fade to kill the spirit will help." He stopped a moment and looked thoughtful. "It might."
When Fiona just looked confused, he added. "Meredith blew up the Kirkwall Chantry with a very potent alchemical formula. Velanna took the original order to the merchant. She was Meredith's assistant, so she knew how to combine them and what they did. Velanna has more of the ingredients with her now." He turned to Bethany. "We need to be on our way. There are a few more hours of daylight."
"Wait," Fiona said as she walked to her desk and pulled out a hand-sized velvet box. Inside it was a glowing blue stone. "A sending stone," she said as she made motions over the top.
The stone flashed slowly until they heard a male voice chuckle. "Lucky for you I was in my quarters, Fiona."
"Rhys! You've got to warn Most Holy. A major threat is heading to Val Royeaux. I have the Champion with me. He has proof that Meredith blew up the Kirkwall Chantry. Her Tranquil assistant knows what Meredith did and has procured more of the ingredients recently." She paced as she spoke. "It's a long story. They can fill you in when they get to Val Royeaux. Velanna's on her way there now with Lord Seeker Lucius … Rhys, he's bought into the Order of Fiery Promise. And, this Dalish has a way to get it started. Get everyone to safety or set up a trap or set up a ruse … I don't care, but this is very real."
The stone started to dim a bit. "Got it. I'm losing power … I hope your reunion with your son ends better than mine with my mother. Stay there, Fiona. Tell the Champion to go directly to the top of the Grand Cathedral. I'll alert Chancellor Roderick." And then, it winked out.
Fiona turned to Alistair. "I need to learn shapeshifting. When this is over, maybe you'll return and teach me?" She smiled. "Or, just return safely, no matter what. We could go back to Kirkwall. I would love to see Leandra again and thank her personally for raising such a fine man."
Alistair couldn't help the tears that came to his eyes. He walked over and hugged Fiona. "I promise I'll come back."
"I'll see to it," Bethany said with a sniff.
Fiona then pulled out of the hug and motioned to the door. "Go quickly … don't shift in front of the Templars yet until we can show them how useful it is."
They went through a couple more quick hugs from both Bethany and Alistair and then the pair ran out of the compound, found a secluded alley and shifted into their eagle forms. They quickly headed west until it was past dark and found a small village inn to spend the night.
After a fitful night, they left before dawn and started on the long journey to Val Royeaux.
…
AN: So, how will the Chantry end, I wonder? With a BANG … or a whimper … or not at all? Next week will be the final chapter of Alistair Hawke and then I'll be starting up What Have We Here? again to move it through Inquisition. :)
Thanks to Erisuu and Kanta48 for the follows!
peroli ryu, Ah! A fellow DA addict! Good to know. ;) Thank you for your kind words. I hope you continue to enjoy.
Judy, thanks again for the pat on the the back! :)