A/N: So this is the beginning of the POV for Isabelle! Timeline wise, this is set after all of Kat's prequel chapters! There are three chapters for Isabelle and all of them were written by Crutches! Thanks for reading!
-Casper
The day started out the same as any other. Get up, head to the Chantry before anyone else was up and make it to the library to read some, to help me relax and prepare me for the day. Vahari would meet me there and we'd head to breakfast. I had a class to teach on the art of potion making in the morning and I'd stay there until lunchtime. But today, the meatballs looked like they'd been soaked in darkspawn blood, so I excused myself and was going to head to my room to grade some papers.
Vahari had said her latest apprentice had shown an appreciation for magical theory, I'll need to talk to Senior Enchanter Lydia about taking on an extra student. I also have to arrange travel arrangements for me to meet Divine Justinia V at the Grand Cathedral for my promotion to senior enchanter. There's also some papers that I have to grade for…
"Enchanter Isabelle?" First Enchanter Dahlia breaks me out of my thoughts as I'm exiting the mess hall.
"Yes, First Enchanter?" I turn around immediately and give the First Enchanter a smile, she's always been nice to me, even after I came back from Ferelden. "What can I do for you?"
"I have some important business that I need to attend to in Cumberland, could you lead the children in the reading of the Chant of Light until I return?" First Enchanter Dahlia looks at me, a frantic look in her eyes that is concealed by a calm demeanor and a soft tone, looks that I've often found on Kat's face.
"Of course, First Enchanter..." I barely speak before she's already walking away. "First Enchanter! May I ask what's wrong?"
"Everything's fine, Isabelle. I simply have some things to take care of. Tell the children I am simply not feeling well," First Enchanter Dahlia states before walking off and I'm left with a million questions.
I quickly turn around and head back into the mess hall and retake my seat amongst my friends, even though most of them are much older than me or a few years younger than I am. The older friends are skilled mages who I have spent much time with, trying to learn everything I can. Or others, like Vahari, are people who were my apprentices who have since passed their Harrowing's.
But Vahari is not just a good friend, she is someone who understands me and is probably my best friend, besides Will. She was only a few years younger than me when I became her mentor. She was my first apprentice. She, like me, was slightly alienated from the rest of her peers due to her magical abilities. And she may look like a small, innocent elf, but she's one of the sassiest people I know.
"Vahari," I tap her shoulder and the small elf turns and gives me a smirk.
"Back already, Belle? Just can't get enough of me, I see..." Vahari mentions and I just roll my eyes.
"In your dreams, V," I laugh before getting serious. "Dahlia asked me to take over the Chantry service for the children the next few nights. So you're coming with me."
"What? Children, you said? Nope," Vahari shakes her head adamantly. I just glare at her and give her a look that says, 'you're coming with me whether you like it or not.'
"Fine..." Vahari grumbles and I just smile as we walk out and make our way downstairs towards the Chantry.
"Thank you, V," I drawl out with a smirk.
"Have you noticed the Templars acting weird?" Vahari asks me softly, glancing behind us to make sure the hallway is empty.
"Who wouldn't?" I ask in response, placing a light-hearted smile on my face because a Templar is walking by.
"And with Dahlia leaving?" Vahari presses me.
"V, I don't know any more than you do right now," I tell her as we stop right outside the Chantry door. She doesn't say anything so I continue moving.
"I hate you, Belle," I hear Vahari say as I open the door and we enter the Chantry full of little kids.
"Isabelle!" I hear my newest apprentice, a little girl about 7 years old with an infectious smile who goes by the name of Elaina.
I wave my fingers at her and smile at the rest of the little children, all who go very silent and just stare at Vahari and I.
"Hello everyone, for those of you that we've have not yet been able to meet, I am Isabelle Trevelyan and this is Vahari Mahariel," I say and those who didn't know me, are now dead silent, their mouths slightly open as they stare at me in awe. "Unfortunately, First Enchanter Dahlia isn't feeling well and asked us to oversee your session today."
"Is it true you knew the Hero of Ferelden?" I hear a young boy call out.
"It is. I had the pleasure of knowing Elissa Theirin, or as she was known as back then, Elissa Cousland," I state and nothing gets accomplished for the first 15 minutes of the hour long session. Kids ask me all sorts of questions pertaining to Elissa, Alistair, and anything else that pertains to the Fifth Blight, including darkspawn.
"Speaking of darkspawn, can anyone tell me where they come from?" I propose and a few kids raise their hands up quickly. I point at the boy who got his hand up first.
"The Deep Roads!" the little boy grins.
"Yes, but where do they originally come from?" I propose but nobody raises their hands. "It is said that is was a group of magi who tried entering the Golden City, but in the process tainted it and themselves. When they returned, they were the very first darkspawn."
"Is this why the Templars keep us here?" I hear a little boy call out and my gaze glances nervously at the Templars standing guard.
"My mother told me that the Templars are here to protect us," Elaina quickly argues with the boy, her big smile replaced with a cold glare. That girl can change from angel to demon in 2 seconds flat.
"You are both right. Yes, we are brought to the Circle and watched by the Templars for the safety of others," I nod at the little boy, who looks extremely proud of himself. "But we are also kept here for the safety of ourselves."
"Let me tell you a story about my travels in Ferelden," I mention and all of the kids lean forward in anticipation. "Once there was a young boy, the son of a noble. The boy was loved very much by his parents, so much so that when his mother discovered that he had magical talent, she went to great lengths to protect him, or what she thought was protecting him."
"But as the boy grew older, his magic only grew and he had no way of controlling it. Without the proper training, the young boy was eventually possessed by a demon. This demon took control of his body and ended up raising the dead to wipe out the nearby village."
"That's when the Hero and the King showed up, they defended the village with everything they had, fighting deep into the night!" I can see the admiration in the children's eyes light up in fascination. "Once morning came and the undead retreated, the Hero and King recognized that the undead would keep coming. The only way to save the villagers would be to deal with the source of the problem, the young boy."
"The Hero and King fought their way through the front gates of the castle, up into boy's room to where the demon resided. Unable to kill the boy, the Hero and the King raced off to Kinloch Hold, home of the Circle in Ferelden, to get help. They raced back and had to go deep into the Fade to kill the demon that had taken hold of the young boy."
"But the Hero and King were successful and saved the life of the young boy, who then went to a Circle were he learned to harness his power. Because magic is a gift from the Maker, but when out of control, it can also become a curse."
"And this brings us back to the question of why the Templars are here. Yes, they are here to protect others from us, should someone not have full control of their magic or should they use it for evil purposes. But they are also here to protect us. Every single one of us is at constant risk. Even those who have already gone through their Harrowing. Should the worst happen, the Templars are here to protect us."
"Is there no way to protect someone from demons?" I hear a tiny girl, only about 5 years old speak up.
I fall silent, there is an answer of course, The Rite of Tranquility. But we don't have any Tranquil here. I knew of them, but I had never actually met one until Ferelden and my travels to other Circles. And the stories don't prepare you for how empty they actually are.
"There is only one way, but it comes at a terrible price. One that I hope none of you will ever have to pay," I say, but after a moment of silence I realize that this went darker than I thought it would, especially considering I'm talking to young children. "Now, I want you all to join me in reciting the Canticle of Transfiguration 1:2."
"Magic exists to serve man, and never to rule over him.
Foul and corrupt are they
Who have taken His gift
And turned it against His children.
They shall be named Maleficar, accursed ones.
They shall find no rest in this world
Or beyond.
"Now I'd like you to take a look at the Canticle of Erudition 2:1 and be ready to tell me what you make of the Scripture."
I'm a firm believer that the Scripture should be read and thought about alone, that way people come to their own conclusions about what it means. Having a Chantry mother read out quotes does nothing for people, it doesn't allow the actual words to mean different things for different people.
"They 'fought through the front gates?'" I hear Vahari ask as she moves next to me. "I thought that they used some secret passageway, one that you won't tell me about."
"That they did, and I can't give away the families' escape route," I mention, before slightly smiling. "Besides, I don't know if your lifelong dream is to ransack Redcliffe."
"I've always wanted to ransack a castle!" Vahari says enthusiastically and for a moment, I don't know if she's joking.
We continue on the lesson, mixing up reading small scriptures and analyzing them with actually getting up and playing small games, Vahari leading those. But when the session is almost up, that's when everything begins.
"Everyone down on the ground!" I hear the order come from a Templar, Ser Aldreck, who just entered the Chantry. The kids automatically drop down, they're still afraid that the Templars are going to beat them if they do one thing wrong. Vahari glances worriedly at me and I just walk up to Ser Aldreck, who I've always thought to be unreasonable and only in the order to gain power and status.
"What is the meaning..." I go to ask, but before I can ask my question, Aldreck's armored hand punches me in the face.
"Everyone do as you're told and you won't get hurt! Now get down on the ground!" Ser Aldreck shouts at Vahari, who I see slowly kneel down. As Aldreck moves to the front of the Chantry, I push myself to my feet. "Enchanter, your fame does not exempt you from the orders given by the Templar Order!"
"What gives you the right to come in here and interrupt our lesson!" I try keeping my voice low, but it begins to rise. Aldreck goes to hit me again, but this time I'm expecting it and I know how the Templars move through all my sparring with Alistair. "Give me a reason to stand down! Otherwise you are out of line and I will not hesitate to report you to the Knight-Commander!"
"Take her to her room!" Aldreck orders and two Templars come to grab me but I fight back, taking them down but two more come after them and I wasn't trained for this. The Templars bring me down and throw a kick to my gut for good measure. Elissa only taught me basic self-defense, mostly with a dagger that I don't have on me.
They drag me out of the Chantry and up the stairs to my room, throwing me in and grabbing my staff before locking the door behind me. What in Andraste's name is going on?
First Dahlia leaves for Cumberland practically unannounced. Then the Templars start acting completely weird. I knew Aldreck was an ass but I never thought he ever do something like that.
I pace around my room well into the night. By which time I've checked my broken rib and healed it as best I can. I've also checked out my window, which has been sealed shut with runes. It must be around midnight before my door opens again. Much to my surprise, it's the Knight-Commander.
"Knight-Commander..." I go to explain but he just raises a hand and takes a seat at my desk.
"Ser Aldreck went too far and I don't blame you for questioning him," Knight-Commander Bryson says quietly. "That being said, you should not have questioned him so vocally in front of the children."
"It was because the children were there that I felt pressured to do so!" I sit down on my bed. "He made them cower on the ground! And while yes, maybe I went about it the wrong way, his first reaction shouldn't have been to punch me!"
"Calm down, Enchanter," Knight-Commander Bryson states strongly and I try to bite my tongue, but it doesn't work.
"Only if you tell me what's going on!" I insist and the Knight-Commander just sighs.
"Word came last night that a mage from Kirkwall blew up the Chantry. The first enchanters are having an emergency meeting in Cumberland and the Templars have been ordered to tighten up security on the magi," Knight-Commander Bryson states simply, leaving me speechless. "We were told to lock everyone in their rooms until we informed all the Templars. Then we were going to be informing the new rules and regulations to the magi."
"What?"
"We have to confiscate your staff and any alchemist ingredients," Knight-Commander Bryson informs me and I just shrug.
"Aldreck already took my staff and I have all my potions in my cabinet at the lab," I mention. The Knight-Commander just nods, not questioning my word, as he stands up and walks out of my room, leaving the door open. But for the first time in hours, I feel no rush to go out there. Luckily, the first person I would've found afterwards came to me.
"Belle!" Vahari jumps on my bed and pulls me into a hug, before closely examining my face. "You're okay!"
"Of course I am, you didn't think I'd let a few Templars get the best of me, did you?" I ask, trying my best for a smile but Vahari just glares at me. "Fine. Maybe they did get me, but I'm terribly out of practice."
"They took my staff away," Vahari looks nervously at my door.
"Same. And they sealed my window shut," I mutter.
"I'm worried. If things keep progressing..."
"I know," I say, not even needing her to finish her thought for me to know where it's heading. I drop myself down to the floor near the edge of the bed and start feeling along the planks of wood.
"What are you doing?" Vahari whispers to me, glancing towards the door.
"Here it is," I smile as I find the loose plank, pulling it out of the ground as I glance towards the door, making sure no one is near. I reach down and pull out the bag that I had Kat smuggle in just after I got back from the Blight.
"What is that?" Vahari asks.
"Hopefully just a precaution," I tell her as I pull out the dagger and place it under my robes.
"Are you sure…"
The sound of footsteps outside silences Vahari immediately. Is this what the Circle's going to be like? People huddled in groups too afraid to speak? And we're in a good Circle, where there's hardly any corruption. Other places… I had barely any time in the Ferelden circle before Uldred ruined the place, but in that small time I realized how good the Circle at Ostwick is. In Ferelden people were always in the corners, fearful of templars finding them and punishing them. Just like Vahari and I are right now.
But our fears are unfounded when Will rushes into my room.
"I heard what Aldreck did, that bastard," Will grumbles as he takes a look at my face, which has had plenty of time to bruise. "You need to get this looked at, Izzy."
"It looks worse than it is," I mention and he just raises an eyebrow.
"Have you actually looked at it?" Will asks me and I just shrug.
"Something tells me that my face will be the least of our problems," I admit as I glance out my door, only to see a Templar stationed right outside my door.
