A/N: This is a bit of a shorter chapter this week, so my apologies in advance!
"The templars what?" Cullen stared at Leliana in disbelief, certain he must have misheard her. But the grim set of her mouth as she shook her head confirmed that what he'd heard was true: the templars had turned on the Chantry and abandoned Val Royeaux.
"They just… left," confirmed the spymaster. "No one knows where they went. The reports I've received have been very odd."
Cullen snorted. Odd was an understatement. The templars could not have abandoned their intended role more completely. To refuse aid to the Inquisition, he could understand - after all, the Chantry had thoroughly denounced their cause - but to hit a Chantry sister? To all but laugh as they departed, claiming that Val Royeaux was unworthy of their protection? Cullen felt as though his entire world had been turned on its head.
It was strange, to feel so completely removed from the order that he'd called home for over a decade. If he had not joined the Inquisition when Cassandra had first approached him, would he have done so now? Surely he would not have blindly followed the Lord Seeker into madness. But they had not seen many defectors join the Inquisition's ranks; in fact, Leliana's reports did not seem to indicate that many templars, if any at all, disagreed with the Lord Seeker enough to leave the Order. That was perhaps even more troubling than the templars' actions themselves.
Cullen was troubled when he left the War Room, more troubled than he had been in weeks. It seemed that every time they began to get a handle on everything going on in Thedas, something else happened that took them by surprise. There had to be something else going on behind the scenes, something they weren't seeing; how else would everything continue to go so strangely awry?
As Cullen left the chantry, he noticed a man looking rather lost standing just outside the doors. "Excuse me," called the man. "I've got a message for the Inquisition, but I'm having a hard time getting anyone to talk to me."
Cullen shoved his worries to the back of his mind, squaring his shoulders as he approached. "Who are you, soldier?" he asked, all business.
"Cremisius Aclassi, with the Bull's Chargers mercenary company," replied the man briskly. "We mostly work out of Orlais and Nevarra. We got word of some Tevinter mercenaries gathering out on the Storm Coast. My company commander, Iron Bull, offers the information free of charge. If you'd like to see what the Bull's Chargers can do for the Inquisition, my commander invites you to send some of your people to watch us work."
Cullen paused, considering. It was unusual, for a mercenary company to approach someone they wished to work for - usually, it was the other way around. "Why did your commander send us this information?"
"Iron Bull wants to work for the Inquisition. He thinks you're doing good work."
Well, that wasn't particularly helpful. Why did it feel like the soldier was dodging Cullen's question? "What can your company do for us?"
"We're loyal, we're tough, and we don't break contracts. Ask around Val Royeaux. We've got references."
"I'm sure." Cullen regarded the young man. It was an odd request, but he couldn't deny they could use the help. He wouldn't make a decision alone, but it might be worth discussing with the others. "Right. We'll consider your offer."
"I appreciate it. We're the best you'll find. Come to the Storm Coast, and you can see us in action." With that, the soldier saluted and departed.
Cullen watched him go, his arms crossed over his chest. It was a day of oddities, to be sure. He made his way to Leliana's work tent, which was set up nearby. The tent was large and airy, open on two sides to let in light and fresh air. To Cullen, it was simply open for all the world to see. As a base for someone who dealt in secrets, it seemed like a strange choice.
It did, however, allow the Nightingale to see him coming. "Commander," she greeted him as he entered the tent. "What can I do for you?"
"Have you ever heard of a mercenary company calling themselves the Bull's Chargers?" Cullen asked.
As it turned out, Leliana and Josephine had both heard of the Chargers, having both spent time in Orlais. In the end, the three of them decided that perhaps the invitation would be worth accepting. With the Herald in Val Royeaux for a while longer - apparently, she had received some invitations of her own while there - it fell on Cullen to make a decision as the leader of the Inquisition's forces. As such, a delegation of his most trusted soldiers would depart for the Storm Coast the next morning.
It took a few days, but the soldiers returned with the mercenary company in tow. Having heard nothing but positive reviews - although the soldiers were a bit wary of the company commander - Cullen was impressed. He and Leliana sought out the mercenary commander quickly.
The Iron Bull was a Qunari - a large, muscular man with steel-gray skin and large horns protruding from his head. The spot where his left eye should have been was covered by an eye patch. He was an imposing figure, and with the rather questionable history between the Qunari and, well, everyone else, Cullen couldn't blame his men for having their suspicions.
"Iron Bull, I presume?" Cullen asked as they approached.
"Yeah, the horns usually give it away," replied the Qunari. Straight to business, he added, "So, your people have seen us fight. We're expensive, but we're worth it." He chuckled. "And I'm sure the Inquisition can afford us."
Cullen crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow.
The Iron Bull laughed. "The gold will take care of itself, don't worry about that. All that matters is we're worth it."
"My men's reports were positive," Cullen admitted.
"And we've received several references from our contacts in Val Royeaux," Leliana added. "The Chargers seem like an excellent company."
"They are," the Iron Bull agreed. "But you're not just getting the boys. You're getting me. You need a frontline bodyguard for your Herald? I'm your man." Cullen bristled at that. Was he implying that they couldn't take care of Kira without him? "Whatever it is - demons? Dragons? The bigger the better." Or maybe the Iron Bull simply had a death wish. Who could say?
"And there's one other thing. Might be useful. Might piss you off. Ever hear of the Ben Hassrath?"
"Qunari soldiers?" Cullen asked, confused. He knew a little about the Qunari from his time in Kirkwall, although the majority of his experience had been in combat against them. He exchanged a glance with Leliana, who looked suspicious.
"I'd go closer to spies, but yeah, that's them. Or, well, us."
Cullen stared at him. Leliana's face was unreadable.
"The Ben Hassrath are concerned about the Breach. Magic out of control like that could cause trouble everywhere. I've been ordered to join the Inquisition, get close to the people in charge, and send reports on what's happening. But I also get reports from Ben Hassrath agents all over Orlais. You sign me on, I'll share them with your people."
That seemed to get Leliana's attention. Information was her currency; it made sense that she would jump at an opportunity to gather more of it. "What would you send home in these reports of yours?" Leliana asked.
"Enough to keep my superiors happy. Nothing that'll compromise your operations. The Qunari want to know if they need to launch an invasion to keep the whole damn world from falling apart. You let me send word of what you're doing, it'll put some minds at ease. That's good for everyone."
"And what's in these Ben Hassrath reports you're offering to share?" said Leliana.
"Enemy movements, suspicious activity, intriguing gossip. It's a bit of everything. Alone, they're not much, but I'm sure you'll be able to put them to good use." He winked at Leliana. At least, Cullen thought it was a wink. It was hard to tell with the eye patch.
Cullen and Leliana shared a look. The spymaster shrugged. It seemed that they were in agreement. "Alright," said Cullen, returning his gaze to the Iron Bull. "You're hired."
"Excellent," grinned the Iron Bull. "We await your orders. And let me know when your Herald returns. I've always had a thing for redheads."
Cullen frowned. He immediately regretted their decision.
The Herald and her companions returned the next day.
Cullen had been in the War Room with Leliana when they received word; they emerged to find Kira and Cassandra approaching, still covered with dust from the road and looking worn. Kira met his eyes briefly and smiled wanly; he wondered if he would see her later, out at the end of their pier, where he could ask her properly if she was alright. She looked tired, and perhaps a bit afraid.
Josephine, who had emerged from her office moments before, strode to greet the Herald. "It's good you've returned," she said, moving to kiss Kira's cheeks in greeting. "We heard of your encounter."
"You heard?" asked Cassandra, her eyebrows raised.
"My agents in the city sent word ahead, of course," said Leliana smoothly. She was perhaps the calmest of the group, with only an expression of cool interest on her face.
Cullen sighed. "It's a shame the templars have abandoned their senses as well as the capital," he said, his voice tight with frustration. He still couldn't believe that the templars had simply abandoned their posts, spitting in the face of the Chantry as they did so.
"Well," said Kira, "At least now we have an opportunity. We have the opening we need to approach the mages."
Cullen frowned at her, his brows snapping together. "You think the mage rebellion is more united? It could be ten times worse!"
"We have an invitation to meet with the mages," Leliana pointed out. "The templars made it quite clear they want nothing to do with us."
"We must look into this further," Cullen insisted. "I'm certain not everyone in the Order will support the Lord Seeker." Was he, though? If they were going to oppose the man, wouldn't they have done so already?
"We shouldn't discount Redcliffe. The mages may be worth the risk," said Josephine.
Cassandra shook her head. "They are powerful, Ambassador, but more desperate than you realize."
Kira raised an eyebrow. "You think the invitation could be some kind of trap?"
Cassandra shrugged. "If some among the rebel mages were responsible for what happened at the Conclave…"
"The same could be said about the templars," Josephine reminded her.
"True enough," agreed Cullen, though it pained him to do so. "I still think it's dangerous to leave things as they are, but right now, I'm not certain we have enough influence to approach the Order safely."
They parted shortly after, still no closer to any agreement on their next steps. Cullen spent the rest of his afternoon training recruits. He stepped in a few times to demonstrate the proper technique for a block or instruct in the use of a sword, but for the most part, he just watched. They were coming along steadily, and though he wished their progress was faster, he couldn't fault them for effort. They tried hard, and that was all he could really ask of them.
By the end of the day, the commander felt as though he had eyes everywhere, so quickly had his gaze jumped from soldier to soldier. It had given him rather a headache, and so instead of joining his colleagues at the tavern for dinner, he went straight to his tent. Once there, he removed his armor and sat on the edge of his cot, rubbing a hand over his eyes. Maker, what a strange few days.
He still couldn't believe that the templars had acted so irresponsibly; but far more troublesome were the actions of the Lord Seeker, who had acted so entirely out of character. Cullen had not known the man well, but Lucius had seemed sensible enough before. What could have made him take leave of his senses so thoroughly?
Not for the first time, Cullen felt as though he were reading a book from which every other page was missing. It was incredibly frustrating, and almost as confusing. There had to be something they weren't seeing.
For the first time, Cullen allowed himself to give voice to the niggling doubt in the back of his mind. Could the templars have been behind the Conclave after all? He found it hard to believe that they would stoop so low, but he never would have expected one of their order to attack a chantry sister, either. Could they really be responsible for the murder of hundreds, including their own brethren? Including the Divine? It went against everything their order stood for, and then some.
It also didn't make any sense. If they wanted to break with the Chantry, at least Cullen could understand why. Templars put their lives on the line, standing before blood mages, abominations, and worse to protect innocent lives. To feel as though those efforts were underappreciated or dismissed… well, he didn't agree with their actions, but he understood their frustrations. Still, if the Order had wanted to strike out on their own, they wouldn't have murdered their own people, who they'd need alive. No, they couldn't have been responsible.
And yet, he wondered if perhaps he was blinded by his faith in them. If some of them were responsible…
What would he have done, if he had stayed with the Order? Would he have known about the Conclave, known about the Lord Seeker's plans to abandon the Chantry? Would he have followed along, like the good little soldier he'd always been, just like when he had followed along with Meredith's plans? Even while knowing that his purpose was being twisted and tainted as he did so?
Would he have had the strength to refuse, to stand up against the Order again? What would have become of him if he had?
He tried to wrack his brain for anyone left in the Order who would be trustworthy enough to contact. Surely there was someone he could ask about the Lord Seeker, to find whatever pieces of information that the Inquisition was missing. And they had to be missing something. Right? But there was no one. He had made few friends during his time in Kirkwall, and his time at the Ferelden Circle had been even more harrowing.
And then there were the mages. As nervous as an alliance with the mages made him, it was impossible to refuse to entertain the notion when they, at least, had made the effort to reach out. Why would they do so if they were behind the Conclave? Inviting the organization most likely to solve the mystery and put things right seemed like a rather interesting decision if they were responsible.
And if they allied with the mages, what then? They would be opening themselves to blood mages and abominations, and there were sure to be some amongst the mages. How would they prepare for that eventuality? How would the Herald deal with any measures enacted to keep everyone - including the mages - safe? Would it simply feel like prison bars closing around her, or would she be rational about it?
And if neither the mages nor the templars were responsible for the Conclave, who was? Would they all be able to work together against such a threat, or would they simply tear each other apart while their real enemy sat back and laughed?
Cullen cursed under his breath. His head was pounding, and he was no closer to answers than he had been when he'd first entered the tent.
But would answers make him feel better, or would they only lead to more questions?
The days that followed the Herald's return were relatively peaceful and quiet. She and her companions - a group whose number had doubled during her time in Val Royeaux - took the time to prepare for their next trip, which would be either to Redcliffe to negotiate with the mages or to Therinfal Redoubt to confront the templars. Cullen was no longer sure which would be the smarter decision.
While the Iron Bull and his Chargers had joined the Inquisition while Kira was away, there were two new recruits who had returned with her from Val Royeaux. Lady Vivenne, the Court Enchanter of Orlais, was a dark-skinned beauty with plenty of influence in the Orlesian court. Cullen wasn't entirely clear on what, precisely, the Court Enchanter of Orlais did, but the title apparently gave the woman a great deal of power. From Leliana's reports, it seemed that she had the ear of the Empress herself, which could prove beneficial to their cause.
A very capable mage, Vivienne had previously served as the First Enchanter of Montsimmard, though the title held little meaning now. She viewed Circles as institutions of learning and safety for her kind and continually made it clear that the mages' vote for independence had been a mistake.
While Cullen appreciated her views on the Circle, he didn't particularly care for Vivienne herself. She was as politically adept as Josephine, but without their ambassador's gentility. Where Josephine was soft and kind, Vivenne was hard and cold. In the words of some of the Herald's companions, who Cullen overheard discussing the mage one night, Vivienne was a bitch. Cullen would have preferred a kinder word - he was not one to direct profanity at others - but it was hard to disagree. Particularly when Vivienne did not seem to care if she made herself likeable.
Apparently she had earned her nickname, Madame de Fer - "Lady of Iron."
Another new companion was an elf named Sera, who was as rough as Vivienne was refined. If Vivienne was the shining jewel of the Orlesian court, Sera was the dregs of its underbelly. It felt rude to think of her in such a way, but based on his (albeit limited) interactions with her, he rather thought she would prefer it. Overall, Cullen didn't know what to make of her, and she didn't seem to know what to make of him, either.
Thus far, Cullen's experience with Sera had been limited to an introduction and a variety of notes that he, Josephine, and Leliana tried to decipher with varying degrees of success. Many of the notes they received were simply scribbles and drawings - most of them showcasing some kind of impropriety - but some were useful, albeit in unexpected ways. One of Sera's suggestions, for example, had led them to a beekeeper who could place angry bees in jars to be used as makeshift grenades. When they had received that note, Josephine had looked troubled. "I do not know how someone would come to this idea, but I can see the use," she admitted. Cullen had to agree. He wasn't sure who'd come up with the idea, but now that they had it, they might as well use it.
Cullen himself was the unlucky recipient of one completely unintelligible letter that read:
For your big-hats,
Lord whoever says you're rubbish.
His servants don't care, but could.
Drop a few things for them,
They'll give Josephine a surprise.
I think scrolls or something.
- Sera
A scribble of heraldic symbols and directions were listed below, along with Sera's name thirty-seven times. Unable to make heads nor tails of the message, Cullen scrawled a note of his own at the top of the page:
I can make no sense of this. The Herald found her—perhaps she can advise?
-Cullen
In any event, regardless of Cullen's thoughts on either of their new recruits, the Herald had evidently thought they could be of some use. So here they were, for better or worse.
A final new companion joined them shortly after the Herald's return from Val Royeaux, arriving at Leliana's invitation. Their spymaster had expressed some concern over the alleged disappearance of the Grey Wardens, a group of warriors dedicated to battling darkspawn during a Blight. Cullen and Josephine had pointed out that there were no reported sightings of darkspawn or indication that a new Blight was beginning, and the Wardens were known for their scarcity outside of such a time. Still, Leliana worried, and so when they received word of a single Grey Warden named Blackwall recruiting in the Hinterlands, Leliana sent a request for information with one of the Inquisition's scouts.
To their surprise, and Leliana's relief, Blackwall's response to their query was to return alongside the scout. He met with the Herald and, having discussed the Wardens' disappearance and being unable to provide any additional information, decided to join their cause.
"Times like this, thinking we're absent is almost as bad as thinking we're involved," Blackwall told them gruffly. "If you're trying to put things right, maybe you need a Warden. Maybe you need me."
Personally, Cullen wasn't particularly optimistic about what a single person could do - save maybe the Herald herself - but he couldn't argue that they needed all the help they could get.
In addition to the Herald's growing entourage, their armies were slowly swelling as well. Cullen received reports every day from captains in the field, who received more and more requests from farmers and shepherds wanting to join their cause. As word of the Herald spread, and as the Inquisition's soldiers followed to bring order, new recruits flocked to Haven. And as new recruits arrived, they joined the many troops already under Cullen's watchful eye. He grew busier by the day.
Not that he minded, particularly. He found himself falling into bed at the end of each day, exhausted in the pleasant way of one who had given their all to something they believed in, asleep before his head hit the pillow. So tired was he that he no longer had the strength to dream. He finally began to sleep soundly, free of the nightmares that had plagued him for years.
There was something pure about honest work with the Inquisition's soldiers. Sure, he had council meetings to attend with Josephine, Leliana, and, occasionally, the Herald and one or more of her companions, but most of his time was dedicated to the management and training of their troops. For the first time in quite some time, he felt happy, even though the world had all but fallen apart around them.
If Kira had anything to do with his sudden mood shift, he kept it to himself. She was a constant presence in the weeks after her trip to Val Royeaux, as she, her companions, and her advisors debated their next move. During the day, the mage continued to help around the village as best she could; he also saw her disappear each morning with Solas or Vivienne to practice her magical combat. Despite his misgivings about magic in general, he couldn't help but approve of the training. She'd had little of it in the Circle, and she would need all the help she could get in the field.
But who she was and what she did during the day hardly seemed to matter at night, when they met for what had become regular midnight chats by the lake. He'd waited for her at the end of the pier that first night she'd returned, and had been surprised when she'd plopped down to sit beside him.
"Shouldn't you be resting?" he'd asked, concern coloring his voice.
"Shouldn't you?" she'd shot back with a laugh.
She'd been exhausted - he could see it in her face - but she'd shown up anyway. And, each night thereafter, he had done the same for her. In fact, it seemed that, no matter how tired one or the other of them were, they always made time to meet to discuss the day's work, or the weather, or the stars, or whatever else came to mind. It didn't take long for Cullen to realize that they were becoming more than just colleagues - they were becoming friends. And it was a friendship that he treasured far more than he should.
One night, they sat on the dock, their legs hanging over the edge, talking about nothing in particular when Kira sighed. "I've decided," she said simply, and he knew immediately what she meant.
It wasn't a surprise when she told him she was going to visit the mages, but Cullen couldn't help the twinge of betrayal in his chest all the same.
"I'm sorry," she told him earnestly, looking troubled. "The mages have invited us to Redcliffe, but we still can't even get the templars to talk to us -"
"I know," he said with a grimace. He knew it was a decision she didn't make lightly. It had been left up to her after the rest of them failed to agree on the best course of action. He and Cassandra had wanted to seek out the templars; Josephine and Leliana had been in support of the mages. And so Kira's had been the deciding vote.
"I want to continue trying to ally with the templars," she said, and he glanced up in surprise. Her cheeks darkened slightly with a blush at the intensity of his gaze. "I don't want to just… give up on them. I know there are good people in the Order. We could certainly use their help."
Cullen smiled. "I'm relieved to hear you say so, my lady."
"I don't see why we can't all work together," she said reasonably. "Just look at us."
"True enough," he said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Us. It was strange to think of the two of them as a pair.
Kira leaned back on her hands with a sigh, kicking her legs. "I just wish I knew what we were walking into."
"Who will you take with you?" Cullen asked, curious.
Kira made a face. "I'm not sure yet. Cassandra. She's as responsible for the Inquisition as any of us." She paused, then grinned. "Probably not Vivienne."
Cullen chuckled. "That's probably for the best, if you're dealing with Grand Enchanter Fiona. I believe some of Leliana's reports said they don't get along."
Kira hummed agreement. "Maybe Solas and Varric? I don't really know the others yet."
"Fair enough."
They sat in silence for a while. The only sound was that of a gentle breeze in the pine trees behind them and the hoot of the occasional owl. There was little else to break the stillness of the snows that surrounded them. Eventually, Kira began to stir, and they prepared to return to the village and the warmth of their respective beds. Cullen rose to his feet, offering her a hand.
"When will you leave?" Cullen asked as he helped Kira to her feet, breaking their comfortable silence.
"Soon, no doubt," Kira said as she shook the snow from her cloak. "There's no point in delaying, now that a decision has been made. After all, the Breach won't close itself."
