A Templar's Faith, A Mage's Resolve

Chapter 5

Across the Practice Field

Maev stumbled out of the chantry, squinting at the light of the sun. Immediately she decided that Chantrys needed more windows, the contrast was blinding every time.

"Herald," Maev's head spun as she eyed the folks heading into the chantry, each bowing their head as they passed. Herald. The word plagued her. Not only because she had learned they people had given her this title based on blind belief, but because no matter how much she tried to deny how utterly correct the commander had been, he was. These people believed in her and no matter how much she denied her unwanted title, their faith wouldn't be easy to falter. Doing so would also crush what little hope had been gained with the stabilizing of the glowing green mass of death looming over them all. The mage sighed loudly, glaring up at the breach. If it was the last thing she ever did, she would find the one responsible for this mess and stick them on a spike outside Haven's gate. She was sure the commander would enjoy letting his men use their corpse as a training dummy.

The commander.

Cullen.

If it weren't for the Templar she had met all those years ago, she would not be where she was today. It was definitely, undeniably his fault. Vivid memories sprang to mind, years spent repeating chants and songs in an empty chapel, nothing but the carved wooden pews to witness the Templar that had taken a broken young Dalish elf under his wing. The faith he had taught her gave her the strength to face the horrors of the circle, and to help the others around hold on. It was this faith that the Divine had seen, and what caused the woman to entrust her missive to the young elf. The missive that brought together folks of all races and creeds. She had given them sanctuary, created a place where they could study magic freely, where they did not have to fear who they were.

All because of one young Templar who had fed a mage's curiosity. She didn't know whether she wanted to beat him savagely over the head with her staff or thank him. First, she perhaps owed him an apology.

Maev smiled to herself, her stormy eyes staring blankly ahead as she walled through haven. She hadn't noticed elf that crossed her path, crashing directly into him landing her flat on her ass in the snow.

"Maker's breath!" She hissed.

"The chosen of Andraste, blessed hero sent to save us all." Maev groaned as she looked up at the elf, the one from the valley.

"Not you too." She muttered as he held his hand out to her, blurting out a short laugh. She took hold of his hand, letting him pull her to her feet. "I thought you'd be the last person to believe such exaggerated tales. Am I at least riding in on a shining steed?"

"I'd suggest a griffon, but sadly they're extinct." It was Maev's turn to laugh. "Joke as you will, posturing is necessary." And now she was annoyed once more. He stepped away from her, staring up at the sky as he had been doing not moments before. "I have journeyed deep into the fade in ancient ruins and battlefields to see the dreams of lost civilizations. I've watched as hosts of spirits clashed to reenact ancient wars both famous and forgotten. Every great war has its heroes, I'm just curious what kind you'll be."

"Hopefully the kind that lives to see the end of it, telling the same stories over and over, until everyone within earshot can repeat them in mocking angry voices." The elf smiled, earning one in return. For such a surly man, he did have an enchanting smile. "So, you're a fade-walker. That's what you meant by 'knowledge far beyond that of a circle mage.' It's a rare study of magic, Solas was it?"

"It's not as flashy as throwing fireballs, but I would not trade it for anything." The smile had faded.

"I know. To those who have never seen the wonders hidden just beyond the veil, understanding the wonder in such a thing is difficult, perhaps even frightening." The surprise that leaped onto his face almost made the mage laugh once again.

"Oh? You're-"

"Mhmm. One of many fields of magic that I've had the pleasure of delving into. One of the bonuses of not being trapped in a circle." Solas seemed genuinely stunned for a moment, mulling through his thoughts before speaking.

"You bear the vallaslin, you speak of the maker thus clearly are Andrastian, you were once a circle mage, yet are not an apostate."

"Sounds about right." She said with a chuckle. The elf only seemed to stare harder, she swore his eyebrows were going to join if they moved any further together.

"I seemed to have missed something." The bushy haired mage laughed again,

"It's a long story." Said Maev, pushing her locks behind her ears. "Perhaps another time," An idea struck the mage, her hand cupping her chin as she looked to the other elf. "Perhaps on a short trip to the Hinterlands? I said I'd meet with a cleric to discuss the inquisition, I'd be delighted if you'd accompany me - us."

"I am not sure I will be staying that long." Said the elf, looking away once more.

"Oh?"

"I am an apostate surrounded by chantry forces, and unlike you I do not have a divine mark protecting me from prosecution. Cassandra has been accommodating, but you understand my caution." He stated, unable to look the herald in the eye. She pursed her lips. If she were in his position, she would have hit the trails long ago to return to her people.

"I do, and I know how Cassandra can be." The memory of said seeker lunging at her in the cellar of the chantry sprung to mind. "A pity that, I was looking forward to your company. I'm sure I could have learned a lot from your knowledge." She wouldn't push the matter. Forcing someone to put themselves at risk for the inquisition was not something she signed up for. She offered the mage a last smile, a slender hand gently gripping his shoulder. "Thank you, lethallin. It was an honor to meet you." She let go and began to step away, "May the dread wolf never catch your scent."

Solas stared after the elvhen woman, utterly bewildered. She was unlike any creature he had come upon in his time in Thedas, and curiosity it seemed, had gotten the best of him.

"Herald, wait." He called as she descended the stone steps leading to the pub, bristling at the title. "I will stay." Her eyes lit up, smile returning to her face as she turned to him. "At least until the breach is closed."

"I am glad to hear. You'll accompany me to the hinterlands then?"

"I will. You have a long-winded tale to tell if my memory stands."

"It's a deal, and Solas? It's Maev." Maev gave a small bow of her head, turning and continuing on her way, unaware of the eyes that followed her until she disappeared into the tavern, the door swinging shut behind her. Solas found himself anticipating the story the herald had to tell.

Ten minutes. Ten fucking minutes was about as long as Maev was able to tolerate the tavern. Like spider's legs she felt their stares crawling across her skin, her long ears burned as the word she detested so much echoed around her from every direction in hushed whispers behind us of ale. The short time listening to the endless whispering was enough to hammer yet another nail into the coffin of the 'herald'. This brought about a new set of worries to mind.

How could she live up to such expectations? Even now, she knew the people of Haven were turning to glance her way, catching a glimpse of the fabled herald. She needed out, and the trip to the Hinterlands was days away. In times like this, she would have found herself a quiet place to pray, but the chantry was far to busy. Couriers sprinted about, citizens coming and going, advisers walking about discussing things that she was quite sure she didn't have the patience to handle at the moment. Even the open air of the streets were too full of onlookers, thus Maev made due, stepping out the front gates and sucking in a deep breath. She had left most of the hustle and bustle behind her, on a few guards stood outside the gates, a small group of soldiers practiced, and the ringing of the blacksmith's hammer reached the herald's pointed ears. Maev sucked in deep lungfuls of air, content in the relative quiet she had found.

Unfortunately, that left the Herald with little to do. She had spent little time standing in the cold before deciding to make her way to the blacksmith. He was a nice enough man. He'd be making her armor for their journey to the Hinterlands, thankfully, he'd let her make some requests. She offered payment, but the man refused to take the satchel of gold. She left it for him anyways, dropping it into his toolbox as she walked away from the blacksmith's forge and back onto the dirt road.

Across the way, the practicing soldiers caught her attention. The inquisition's forces. It had been ages since she'd soldiers practicing in such ways. Mages rarely learned such things, only those studying knight enchanting, and it was such a specialized skill. Maev had learned in another way. In the dark chapel of Kinolch Hold, she brandished candlesticks with a golden eyed Templar. She smiled to herself. He was a good fighter, she had to give him that, even then. She had seen him training only once before.

"You scared me," panted the curly haired Templar, his hands gripped on the material at her shoulders, his head bowed low. He could remember few times in his live when he had been completely and utterly petrified. He didn't mean to raise his voice, the moment he saw her skin pale at his furious reaction, guilt crashed into him. "You have no idea what they would do if they found you. You'd – they could make you -"

"Tranquil." Maev finished, staring down at him. "Wouldn't you prefer that? I hear the way you talk about mages with your friends." It was far from the reason she was spying on the lad, but she had overheard some nasty things.

"No." His voice was stern as he stared up at her, she could see the moisture on his cheeks. "Don't ever say that. I've seen it, so many times. The mages they are before and the people they become after. I couldn't see that happen to you. I couldn't bare to see it." His voice cracked as his hands cupped her face, his thumbs running across the vallaslin. The candle light almost made them glow. "I couldn't live with myself if they took that light from your eyes. Your magic is part of you, makes you who you are. If the maker gave such a gift to such a creature so beautiful both inside and out... Perhaps it is a gift after all."

Maev smiled into his palm, the soft skin smearing the tear that fell from her eyes. She knew the consequences that would be faced to the two of them all too well.

"It was foolish, I know. I'm sorry, I just... I wanted to see you." And see him she did. He fought like a spirit. Graceful yet calculating. His eyes resembled that of a lion going in for a kill. It was breathtaking. She would never do it again, but she would never regret it. Not once.

Maev hadn't gotten far from the blacksmith, when she stopped dead in her tracks. Mid stride she caught sight of a familiar plume of fur. Buried in it was none other than the forces' commander. There was ferocity to him, much more focused than before. Clearly he was supposed to be training the troops, but he couldn't help himself. He snatched a sword and shield from a recruit, and showed him step by step how to properly stun your enemy with a shield. He'd taught her that too. He handed the shield back to the man, urging him to follow his instruction when he turned, staring right at her.

Andraste's ass.

Maev couldn't feel her knees as Cullen realized that he'd been staring. He straightened up, looking back to his soldiers. He had always been focused on his duty. It was admirable. She shook her head as she walked to the gates, pausing as she reached the massive doors. She did have an apology to make. She herald turned back to the mass of swords and shields, making her way around the outer edge.

"You there, you have a shield in your hand, block it it! If this man were your enemy you'd be dead." He barked, shaking his own head before turning to another one of the men. "Lieutenant, don't hold back. The recruits must prepare for a real fight, not a practice one."

"Yes commander!" The man returned to the training, observing the men once more as the commander moved away, crossing his arms as Maev stepped forward. His heart gave a little jolt in his chest.

"They look like they're shaping up." She said, hands on her hips.

"We've received a number of recruits, citizens of haven, and some pilgrims. None made quite the entrance you did." Maev couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. He hadn't forgotten their conversation earlier in the chantry, but he couldn't deny that he was excited to see her, even though he was quite torn on the matter.

"I always liked to put on a show." She chirped.

"That you did." His smile was infectious, but it faded quickly, and there was the commander again. A lion prowling his cage. "I was recruited in Kirkwall myself. I saw first hand the mage rebellion, and the devastation it caused. Cassandra sought a solution. When she offered the position, I left the Templars to join her cause. Now it seems we face something far worse."

"I thought we were so close." Maev shrugged. "I had years of evidence to give the divine, to provide hope that mages and Templars could find peace." The commander pressed his lips together. Pain. His stomach twisted into a knot. Mages were corruptible, he had seen first hand what a mage could do to victims of their fury, the breach was another obvious bit of evidence that such power was a terrible and dangerous thing. He had also see what the Templars were capable of. What HE had been capable of, and it turned his stomach over, making the steady stream of queasiness ten times worse.

"Which is why we're needed. The chantry lost control of both Templars and mages, and now they squabble over a new divine while the breach remains. The inquisition could act when the chantry cannot. Our followers would be part of that; there's so much that we could -" he gave a long sigh. "Forgive me, I doubt you came here for a lecture."

"Not really, but I do have time, do you have one prepared?" She said with a shrug. He laughed, the sound was warm, quite a difference from the man he had been minutes ago, commanding his men.

"Another time perhaps. Why DID you come out here?"

"Nothing like a whole village turning to get a look to make you feel like you've wandered into a nest of giant spiders." Another laugh. "I was going to head back into the village, but I felt I had an apology to make. I acted like a child. I felt like the world was just dropped on my shoulders, and I panicked." She watched the commander's mouth opened and shut a few times before he turned back to the men.

"I - we didn't mean to put so much pressure on you." Was that guilt she saw as he hid his face?

"They're going to believe what they believe, I can't change it, but the least I can do is try. My people need me, but if I leave now, the breach could kill us all. Whether they believed such things of me or not I wouldn't be going anywhere. Too many lives would be at stake." Now there was the mage he had met years ago. When the divine had approached her regarding the missive she had acted in a similar fashion, but he had learned the kind of person Maev was. She was a protector. A guiding eye that watched over all around her. She only needed a little push. He caught a glimpse of the mage as she watched the soldiers, thoroughly flabbergasted when she turned to face him, catching him red faced. "Do you think I could still take you?" She asked. He couldn't stop it.

"What?" Immediately the woman's face turned as red as the plume around the commander's neck.

"That's not - Andraste's ass Cullen, I meant with a sword!" She blurted, her hands clapping over her cheeks. The commander let out a deep laugh, his head dropping back onto his shoulders, shuffling uncomfortably. Maker's breath.

"Of - of course." He chirped, hands resting on his sword. "I mean, if you've practiced that is. I imagine you've been busy."

"I taught some of my mages." Her answer nearly threw him for a loop. "To reach the sanctuary we had to cross most of Ferelden. Free roaming mages are not common, we had to defend ourselves as best we could without magic. I've had plenty of practice. You wouldn't be afraid would you? Wouldn't want to be shown up by the herald, I bet."

"You can certainly try." The commander turned from the mage, reaching out and grasping a sword from the rack followed by a shield, holding them out to the herald. She reached out to grab the weapons, not aware that the recruits around them began to whisper, not until she heard that cursed word.

"Is that the herald?" Called one of the voices. She was center stage. Again. Suddenly she felt surrounded, the sound of a sword being drawn caught her attention. Cullen stood before her a shield gripped in his hand.

"Are you ready?" He called, tapping the flat side of his sword against the front of his shield.

"You should know commander, I've put my own spin on your teachings." She called, eyeing him. She narrowed her eyes. Focus Maev, focus. And then, she was behind him. "Watch your back." She whispered into his ear. The commander spun, clearly startled. Shield met shield. Magic, of course. Even with no staff, magic was part of her every breath. It was an unfair advantage, and above all it had startled him, on instinct he felt his body reach for the lyrium in his veins, ready suppress the magic she was using against him, but of course that just brought for a pain, scorching fire that ran through his body.

"Now now, that'd be considered cheating!" He lunged, the ring of metal on metal was nearly deafening. She was a great deal faster than he had expected, and every step, every swing made his bones ache. He had to pick up his pace. She was an offensive fighter, her shield had probably only been nicked once, maybe twice since they began.

"You cannot choose your opponent in battle commander, you of all people should know that." She was as relentless as his withdrawal, she was also smirking at him. A taunt, a distraction. He would not let her have this one, he was distracted enough as it was. He lunged, the tip of his blade pressing into the soft material of her tunic, ripping a clean hole in the side. Focus, Cullen.

"It seems you need more practice." A grin spread to his lips, and then a shield met with his jaw.

"Don't get cocky." She chirped, the commander catching himself before he tumbled back.

"I wish my recruits knew how to use their shield like that." He grumbled to himself. He could feel their stares. They were watching every move she made, every move he countered. He had to admit that he wished he could witness such a fight, rather than participate. It seemed he wasn't her only teacher. He hadn't expected Maev to hold her ground so well, let alone be advancing on him. Or knocking him to the ground. Her sword swung down, ready to meet the armor on his chest when he jerked upright, grabbing her arm and in a swift move had her pinned to the ground beneath him, the edge of his shield digging into her neck ever so slightly.

The recruits burst into excited chatter, clapping loudly as the commander and the herald caught their breath, both covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and Maev still trapped between the commander's knees, his weight pressing down on her hips, one hand on the ground beside her head.

"It seems I stand corrected." She managed, he was unsure if her face was red from the heated swordplay, or a blush had spread to her cheeks.

"Maybe next time." He chuckled, his position over the mage dawning on him. Like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, he discarded his shield and scrambled to his feet, hoisting Maev up after. She smiled up at him, and he down at her. A warmth filled her very veins as she tried so hard not to turn and hide. She was definitely blushing. "Maev we should-"

"Commander, Ser Rylan has a report on our supply lines." A lone soldier had broken the line of chattering ones, a small stack of paper gripped in his hand.

"Still so much to do." She wasn't honestly sure if he had been talking to himself or not as he took the sheets, staring down at them.

"I'll take my leave." She had stolen enough of his time, thought she wasn't sure if he had heard her. She left anyways, playtime was over, and she knew how immersed the Templar - former Templar could get in his work. She had a million questions to ask, and a thousand things to tell him, but now was not the time. She knew better than to disturb the man at work. What she didn't know, was that said man had looked up from the reports and found her gone. He found himself disappointed.

A/N: Reviews are love!