Inquisitor Elyn Trevelyan/Commander Cullen Rutherford : Promises Ch. 3
"I told you that you couldn't kill us all. You should have given up sooner." a unknown man spoke into my ear.
I could hear birds chirping outside, "The day is still young, I might have more plans for you." I said smiling. My eyes were tightly covered by a thick blindfold and my arms are tied tightly behind my back. This guy must have no clue who he is talking to or he really is an idiot. I don't need my hands to be free to wreak havoc with my magic. A simple fireball in the right place would do a lot of damage. However, that's not an option seeing as I'm stuck in a damned chair.
"Watch her." He paused, tugging on the ropes around my wrists, "I cannot have her escaping. We have a long day ahead of us."
I could hear the nervous footfalls of a small number of soldiers, pacing back and forth, "Yes, sir. She's not going anywhere."
I smiled when I heard a door open and close. That man must be their leader, "Now, how about one of you fine gentlemen take this blindfold off?"
"No way. We know all about your disgusting mage abilities." answered one of the guards.
I chuckled, "What am I going to do? Stare at you to death? Come on, I won't bite. I would simply like to see who I'm talking to."
"Get used to the dark because that's where you're staying."
I paused for a minute, thinking. Maybe I could use my knight-enchanter abilities to remove the blindfold. I don't think I can summon a Spirit Blade in my current position, so maybe I can evade these bondages with Fade Cloak? I fade-cloaked myself and without thinking, I landed on the floor with a hard thud. How I managed this, I'll never guess. I only wanted to get out of the blindfold. Maybe it's just my lucky day? Maric should have gotten my staff to Cullen by now. I hope Leliana and her spies haven't said anything about the baby. He'll be worried sick and he won't think clearly. He'll end up getting himself killed. I quickly gathered my thoughts and stood up, face-to-face with three armed guards, "Much better. Now, you were saying something about me remaining in the dark?"
"She's free!" the guards called frantically, unsheathing their swords at once.
I quickly reached over my shoulder for my staff but remembered Maric has it. Not much good it does him, I thought smugly. The guards took that moment to rush at me. I summoned flames into my palms and shot them straight into their terrified faces within seconds. Writhing in pain, they screamed for their master's help.
I ran out the door the guards were blocking and out into an open field, "What is this?" I looked around at the unfamiliar landscape. An open field, full of flowers of all kinds, welcomed me. The sun shined down on an army right before me. At least fifty soldiers stood between me and my freedom. Why?
"What is the meaning of this?" I called out, demanding answers.
A single man stood before the army, "We're here for your child. It cannot be allowed to live."
"What?" I gasped.
"This army are the 'extremists' you have been fighting; Venatori, not extremists," he paused to clarify, "We heard about your wedding in Halamshiral. To Commander Cullen, right? We have been testing you. The more you fought us, the more we knew." he smiled, "We knew as soon as you started holding your stomach that you were with child. The way Sera and Vivienne would stand in front of you, hiding you from harm. That's not the Inquisitor we've come to know, and love, now is it?"
"I never asked them to protect us!" I placed my hand over my stomach, "But that's what loyalty means. I implore you, let me go without incident or you will regret it."
"You have been a menace to our world, Inquisitor. We wanted Corypheus to rule over men, we worshipped him. He was going to save us from this disgusting world. Now your child may do even more harm! Venatori! Let's show the Inquisitor our might!" he called as he drew his bow.
"You will not kill us. I will protect my child until death takes me!" I screamed back. Summoning flame by my sides and throwing glyphs all over the ground before me. If anyone gets too close those glyphs will hopefully send them sky high. Maybe they'll fly high enough to catch Cullen's attention, I giggled at the idea. I'm sure he must be close to finding me by now.
The soldiers all unsheathed their weapons and began to run towards me, "You will not win, Inquisitor Trevelyan!"
Suddenly, a barrier was cast around me, "What the..?"
"It's the child!" screamed the leader, "It's shielding them! All at once, overwhelm her!"
One by one, they fell. My mana slowly weakening my body and my spells. I had no lyrium and could not simply wait for it to replenish. Only a select few of the soldiers had gotten close enough to injure me. They were only small gashes on my arms and legs. Nothing too severe that I couldn't mend once I was safe.
An army. Fifty, trained soldiers, all with one goal in mind. Kill my child and myself. They will not harm us, I promise. Slowly but surely, I cut an army of fifty down to an army of twenty. Flames on corpses igniting the flowers all around me.
"You could not kill us all before, you will not kill us all now!" called the leader.
"I didn't know what you wanted before! You think I honestly couldn't fight you all off, or call for my guards? I allowed you all to capture me so I could figure out what you wanted! And now that I know, I will end you all." I called through the screams of his soldiers, who were slowly burning alive.
After my mana depleted, I began to use a sword I picked up off a dead soldier. I was only using the sword long enough to allow my mana time to recuperate, for I am no templar. Slashing at the remainder of my enemies, twenty enemies soon fell to four. The barrier that was cast over us held firmly. I didn't think magic showed up in children this early. You're not even born and you are proving to be a better mage than me. I smiled at the thought.
The leader stopped shooting arrows for a moment to call to his soldiers, "At once! She cannot deflect all of our shots!"
"Watch me," I smiled as I thought of Cullen. My templar; giving me courage when I should be running for my life. Those beautiful brown eyes. So compassionate. I only regret that I didn't get to tell him about our child sooner. My muscles burned from exhaustion. I could hear Cullen critiquing my form. Telling me to stand up straight, to get used to the feel of a sword over a staff, not to cheat with magic, and above all else, never underestimate my enemy. I smiled and ran straight for the last soldiers; I will not fall.
I threw down the sword and hit the ground with my hands as hard as I could, together, we can do this. Bright flames erupted from the ground, swallowing the leader and his soldiers whole. I was somehow able to use my child's mana along with a fraction of my own to create the blast. I fell back from the heat of the flames that seemed to reach up into the sky forever. I could hear the leader of the Venatori cursing my name. We did it. I cannot believe it.
I do not fear death because I have faced it too many times. The Conclave explosion, Corypheus, The Venatori, Solas; death is familiar. I could feel my chest rising with each breath, my mind slowly fading from conscious to unconscious. Exhausted, I reached down to my stomach and felt the barrier around us disappear.
"Elyn!" a voice called from far away.
I could hear armor clinking together, many bodies running towards me at once. That's when everything faded.
"Cullen…" I whispered right before the world went black.
As I walked the fade in my sleep, I came upon a massive host of spirits.
"We have a surprise, Inquisitor." said a very familiar voice.
Confused, I called, "Cole?"
The spirit giggled, "Yes. Except here, you can call me Compassion. We're all spirits of compassion. We have something we want to show you."
"Oh, alright."
Cullen and a child appeared out of nowhere. Cullen dressed in his templar armor and the child dressed in mage robes.
"Does that child look familiar?" asked the spirit.
I looked closer, "Cullen. He looks like Cullen." I paused, shocked, "What is this?"
He was a small toddler who was a spitting image of Cullen. Blonde curls, brown eyes. Cullen had the child sitting on his shoulders. Smiling at each other, Cullen put his large helmet on the boy, who was a little too excited until he encased Cullen's helmet in ice. He was shocked by his creation and looked at Cullen for some sort of reaction.
"No!" I cried, "My child cannot be a mage! Why would you show me this? He'll live as badly as I did." My eyes filled with tears, knowing my child would be a slave to his magic, forever cursed. Locked in a tower, until the end of his days. Constantly under scrutiny, always watching the templars over his shoulder.
"Look at where we are, Inquisitor," Cole said quickly, terrified of the pain that he had just caused me.
We were surrounded by templars and mages alike. Stone walls, the smell of old books and incense. We were inside a Circle tower. Mages freely practicing and mastering their magic, Templars conversing with the mages. No fear or anger between either group. All three of us, here? Together?
"Is this possible?" I asked, dumbfounded, "Can we all remain together?" Living a happy life? I walked up to my husband and child, still rather shocked.
"I love you both, so much. I hope this can become our reality." With that simple statement, they both flashed me wide smiles.
"It can, Inquisitor. This is your future, your child has you so packed full with magic that he is comforting you with your own future. Now wake up, Cullen needs your help."
"Elyn," I could hear Cullen's voice bring me back to reality, "please come back to me. I need you."
I slowly opened my eyes and smiled, "Cullen."
Cullen wrapped his arms around me and I returned the gesture, "Thank the Maker. I'm so glad you both are safe." He gently placed his hand over my stomach.
I gasped as I pulled away from our hug and looked down at his hand, "You know?! Who told?! I was going to tell you the day I was taken, but I had to find out what the extremists, well Venatori, wanted, I didn't expect to be gone for so long. Nor did I expect that many in numbers."
"I saw the bodies when we found you and letters between those that were there and the spy here." he explained, "As for our child, the spy we captured spilled all his secrets. Turns out they were afraid of our child keeping more peace than you, my dear."
Nervously, I asked, "You're not mad?"
"Of course not!" he smiled, "I'm just glad that you're home and safe."
He helped me out of our bed and we walked over to my desk, "You have a visitor, by the way."
I looked up at him curiously, "I don't think I'm up for visitors right now. I just want to stay right here, like this."
I wrapped Cullen's arms around my waist and placed my own arms around his neck. Laying my head against his chest, I breathed in his scent and knew that everything would be alright. The Venatori have been defeated and now we can focus on ourselves for a little bit.
"Oh, good! You can leave then!" Cullen yelled.
"Surely you don't expect me to go back to Tevinter without hearing the story of how you defeated fifty Venatori with your wit and magical prowess, do you?" Dorian called from behind me.
"Dorian! You're here!" I turned a little so I could face him without leaving the safety of Cullen's arms.
Dorian casually strolled up to face me, "I think I'll join in on this adorable embrace, thank you for the invitation!"
Cullen pulled me closer into his body, and Dorian didn't care. He wrapped his arms around my neck and placed a light kiss on my cheek then briskly stepped back.
"You can't keep her all to yourself, Cullen. Look at her! Sera was right, she glows!" I giggled as Cullen reached forward, attempting to grab Dorian.
"Keep your hands off my wife, Dorian. Go find your own!" Cullen shot back, clearly jealous.
I smiled and placed my hand on top of Cullen's, who was still holding onto my stomach, "I love you so much, my sweet boy."
"Boy?" Cullen and Dorian both looked at me. Cullen asked, "How do you know?"
"Call it a hunch," I said looking back at Cullen.
No matter what happens, as long as we're together. No force in Thedas could pull me from Cullen or my child. Not that any force would dare.
Many Years Later
Cullen decided, much to Elyn's request, that they return to the Ostwick Circle of Magi. The time of the Inquisition was over and they were no longer needed by the Divine. In Ostwick, they were greeted as heroes. Inquisitor Elyn Trevelyan was tempted with an offer to become the First Enchanter of Ostwicks' Circle, to which she happily accepted. Cullen, not wanting to leave his family, wrote to Divine Victoria who reinstated him as Knight-Commander of Ostwick's Circle. Their child, Felix Rutherford (named after Dorian's friend, Felix, who died of the taint) was a rising star within the Circle. More powerful than anyone thought possible, Felix was able to cast the hardest of spells at an early age. He also managed to pass his Harrowing before age twelve. That is the ending of Inquisitor Elyn Trevelyan's story, but what of her son? What will history say about the boy who came from a marked mage who saved the world? Will he surpas his mother? Only the Maker knows.
