"Revas?" Leliana asked.
The lean woman was staring over the rampart out at the stunning vista of barren icy mountains that encircled Skyhold.
"Yes Lady Nightingale?" She asked. She had a lovely smooth voice. She could have been a bard easily, at least the Fereldan version.
"You seem troubled."
"No Lady Nightingale, the view here is...unsettling."
"That it is. I read your report. You did good work. This Assan was endangering innocent elves."
"As well as the reputation of Inquisitor Lavellan." Revas said with a glint in her eye.
"This is not easy work Revas. Your skills could be used elsewhere if this is too taxing." Leliana said firmly but with an undercurrent of concern.
"Don't worry about me Lady Nightingale. I'll survive. I'm more use to you and the Inquisition in the field than I would be in a unit of archers."
"You could train recruits."
Revas laughed bitterly. "Late comers? No, I think not. Now that Corypheus has been shamed they come in droves, swearing allegiance. Where were they when the red templars and the demons were at our throats?" She spat over the rampart and straightened her shoulders.
"I see." Leliana said thoughtfully.
"I'll do good work for you, I always have."
"I will not lie. You are a unique asset. A fine warrior in your own right you can move freely among the Dalish and most humans alike."
"You don't know much elven do you?" Revas said turning away from the view at last. She was short for a human but very tall for an elf. Dirty blond hair framed her fine features, hazel eyes that were clear green in the right light, a small sharp nose and full mouth. Her eyes flashed as she tossed her head and set her stance, a defiant gesture. Leliana gauged that it was an unconscious gesture and not intended as a threat.
"I know enough." Leliana hedged.
"Revas means freedom. When my mother died and they decided to keep me they named me freedom. They knew. as you've determined, that I would have a unique level of access to the world of humans."
"That angers you?"
She didn't reply but her stance shifted to a more respectful one. "I have always been a tool and I have always known it." She said quietly.
"Rest in Skyhold for three days. Mend your gear and exchange what you need. There is work to do."
Revas snapped to attention and saluted Leliana, right fist to left shoulder, and marched away.
Leliana smiled to see her go. Since stumbling across Revas she had commissioned the researchers and her own people to keep a look out for more Elf-blooded humans or dwarves that might join their ranks. She doubted they would find anyone else like Revas but it was worth looking. She was curious as to the nature and abilities of these hybrid peoples as well.
Revas felt the Inquisition's spymaster's eyes boring into her as she marched away. Marching and saluting...what was she doing? When Corypheus had first threatened Thedas serving the Inquisition had been such a clear and obvious decision. Now, with Corypheus' forces scattered and the Darkspawn Magister finally defeated it was harder to justify going on.
She slowly shifted to an easy walk as she reached the switchback stairs leading down to the heart of Skyhold. Inquisition agents, laborers, servants, civilians, merchants they all swarmed through the great halls and outbuildings of the ancient fortress. All intent and furiously busy. She watched them swirl around her and felt suffocated.
She spotted the inquisitor's stables and made her way to them. The adjoining building was usually empty during the height of the day. She made her way to the second floor and curled up on a bale of hay. Revas had a clear view of the courtyard below.
She missed her clan. They were far away from Skyhold, free and moving south as winter reached the north. She closed her eyes and could smell the gentle pervasive scent of the halla, the acrid reek of whatever the Keeper was brewing to keep the winter chills from developing into deadly coughs…
Her eyes snapped open as she heard a footstep below.
She slipped off the hay bale and drifted into the long shadows cast by the stacks of hay.
"Revas?" Someone called. It was a warm friendly voice, it sound Fereldan. The newcomer started up the stairs, Revas held her breath without meaning to.
The Inquisitor came into view on the stairs. Revas blinked and let out her breath.
"Revas? Ah there you are." Lavellan grinned at her. An easy cheeky expression.
Revas smiled back and emerged from the shadows.
"Hiding from me now?"
"As if. you were always better at finding than I was at hiding."
"Leliana said you had a hard mission?" Lavellan said as she sat on the bale Revas had been reclining on.
"This from you?" Revas laughed. Lavellan joined in the laughter and shook her head.
"Look, I'm the first to admit I should definitely be dead or at least incredibly traumatized. But just because I went through ridiculously frightening and horrible things and have emerged as well as I have does not mean that's normal. Or really okay even." Lavellan mused as an afterthought and frowned.
Revas shoved her lightly in the shoulder. Lavellan broke off her thought and grinned. "Go on then, tell me what happened."
So, against her judgement, Revas did. Lavellan was silent afterwards, then, in one swift almost startling movement, she hugged Revas. Revas felt her cousin's powerful arms engulf her although the Inquisitor was shorter and more petite than the elf-blood. Revas returned the embrace and for a moment allowed herself to remember the long summer days of their shared childhoods.
"I'm sorry that had to be you." Lavellan said as she pulled away. She looked into Revas' green eyes with her own red-orange eyes and smiled gently.
"This will sound terrible but I'm actually rather glad you're so bothered by it."
Revas scowled at her. Lavellan held up two hands in a disarming gesture.
"I don't want you to give your soul up to the Inquisition Revas. Leliana is critical to the success of the Inquisition, we never could have stopped Corypheus without her but she has been doing work like this for decades and she can be hard and ruthless because of it. She finds peace with it...somehow. But, I don't want that for you."
"What if I do?" Revas asked, genuinely curious.
"Your life is your own but...I've had to do some terrible things and...I've had to ask others to make very hard choices. I won't ask you to give up your happiness Revas. One of us has to have a chance at it."
Revas sighed and relaxed.
"Solas will come back." She said gently.
Lavellan shook her head firmly. "It doesn't matter. The point is, if this work is making you unhappy then don't do it. I can find a place for you, make a place for you, elsewhere."
"Thank you cousin but I am satisfied with this position." Revas said then took her cousin's hand and squeezed it firmly.
Lavellan looked troubled but didn't argue.
"Assan...he knew what color your eyes were." Revas said as they sat together on the hay bale.
"I imagine the bards have spread that bit of information all around Thedas by now." Lavellan sighed.
"He wouldn't tell me his name. I can't find his people now."
Lavellan laughed and shook her head, her long hair brushing her shoulders at the gesture. "You're an Inquisition spy. Find out." She encouraged.
Revas smiled a small secret smile, a pleased smile, and slowly nodded.
"Is that what was bothering you?"
"Yes, I think so. I had to kill him, he was a threat to us all but, to take the life of one of the People and not give peace to his kin…"
"They'll probably try to kill you." Lavellan pointed out.
Revas shook her head, "No, I don't think they will. He was traveling alone, with gold." Lavellan nodded agreeing. The Keeper of a clan held any cash riches clan members had amassed. Most individual members bartered among one another or the humans they traded with. Coin was for emergencies and permanent purchases.
"Well, I've sat on my laurels long enough. If I don't reappear soon Josephine will send Cullen after me with a leash." She laughed.
As the Inquisitor made her way among the crowds back to the great hall she caught a snatch of gossip.
"...thinks she's an elf…" she stiffened and turned to find the offender but whoever had spoken melted back into the crowd.
"Inquisitor!" Cullen called from the bottom of the steps leading into the hall. He looked troubled. She moved to join him but made a mental note to speak to Josephine and Leliana about Revas and offensive rumors.