It took over an hour to get the Herald and his advisors into the war room, along with Valissia and Amelia. Michel stood behind Amelia, the storm mage having walked in with him, ignoring the pointed look of curiosity from her friends. Valissia, Amelia and Michel stood closer to the doors, while Talise stood next to Christopher, across the war table from the advisors. Despite the length of time it has taken, Talise had been unable to get a moment alone with Cullen; and the realization that he was going to learn what the letter contained, and what it meant for Talise, along with everyone else, made Talise's heart twist on itself.
The letter from Amelia's brother sat on the war table, everyone had read it and passed it around as Talise had spoken. In return for saving Alistair's life during a small skirmish against darkspawn, Jordan had been rewarded with a title. Nightreach Keep, the aging fortress rebuilt by the Storm Raiders in the years before the Blight, and the land around it, was given to Jordan, with the full support of the freeholders living there, and Jordan was raised to a Bann. Jordan, in return, had sworn fealty directly to King Alistair himself, and the bann answered to only the King. Alistair had left the keep; run by Amelia's brother Patrick, to its own devices, and it was now a thriving, fortified keep. The freeholders, mostly descendants of the Storm Raiders and their families, were fiercely loyal to the Montgomery siblings.
"Jordan died with no heirs", Josephine finished, leveling a calculating gaze at Talise across the war table.
The assassin shook her dark head in answer, her eyes tracing over the Ferelden side of the map, "None. I searched everywhere for a child, I felt the title should go to even an illegitimate child of Jordan's first."
"I questioned Jordan about that when he came to the Conclave, what would happen if he had no heirs to pass the title to", Cullen's warm amber and honey gaze lifted from the map to Talise as he spoke, "He made a joke about saddling his sister with it. I had no idea at the time he meant you."
"That sounds just like him", a smile lifted Talise's lips, but her gaze stayed locked on Cullen. She had rarely taken her eyes from him as she spoke, fear shining in her gaze the entire time. Revealing her secrets left her feeling raw, and as much as she disliked feeling vulnerable, she was terrified that Cullen would turn away from her.
Cullen's heart squeezed hard every time he saw the fear in her gaze. It was the same look she had worn the morning she faced judgment from Christopher, and it had hurt him to see it then; but now it was painful to meet her gaze. He knew she was waiting for his anger, for his condemnation, and despite his frustration with her ability to keep secrets, he knew he could not be angry with her. Her world had exploded when the Conclave did, and she was trying to pick up the pieces. There was no way, in the middle of the war room, to explain his feelings to her, even as he knew he needed to tell her.
"Why is the Arl of Redcliffe and the Teryn of Highever suddenly so interested in a small Bann on the coast?", Leliana mused, her fingers running over the spot where Nightreach Hold stood, almost exactly halfway between Highever Caste and the city of Amaranthine.
"The keep stood abandoned, the land left fallow, for hundreds of years. It's been rebuilt, there are farms there, the keep itself holds a considerable number of men-at-arms". Bright eyes traced over the map as Talise spoke.
Christopher nodded in agreement to Talise's words, "It's a fully fortified and stocked keep, surrounded by arable land and pastures. Any lord would want it."
"Is that why Alistair raised Jordan to a bann like he did? To offer protection?", Josephine was writing furiously as the others spoke, making notes to read over later.
"In part. Both Fergus Cousland and Tegan Guerrin had been around, snooping, a few times since Alistair was crowned. The Keep technically belonged to Amaranthine, but the Warden-Commander had relinquished all claim to it. Which made it a keep pretty much owned and supported entirely by free-holders", Talise raked a hand through her loose hair, and heaved a deep sigh. Once more, her summer bright gaze lifted to Cullen, and she chewed on her lip, the movement betraying her nerves.
"And that was something the nobles in Denerim would not tolerate for long." Cullen mused, his fingers tracing over the coastline of Ferelden. When he looked up from the map, his warm honey gaze caught Talise's bright one, and he smiled, the scar that cut down to his lip lifting as he did. She was still the same women he had come to know, through letters and talks and long nights spent in his room, she still sucked the air from his lungs when she walked into the room, and made his knees weak when she smiled.
"By swearing fealty to Alistair directly, that meant that all threats against it would be answered directly by the King." Leliana could not help the smile that curled her mouth, the maneuvering that Jordan had done was impressive. The lengths the fallen warrior had gone to spoke to his skill in maneuvering the politics of Alistair's court, as well as his love for his younger sister, now standing across the war table, "Thus placing Nightreach out of the reach of anyone else. It was a brilliant move on your brother's part."
Josephine nodded, sighing as she looked across at Talise, "But now… unless an heir steps forward, it would revert back to a royal holding. And from there who knows."
"I do not think Alistair would let it fall into the hands of someone who would strip it to nothing" Valissia spoke then, as she stepped forward to stand behind Talise, "It's my home too, Talise shouldn't have to carry this alone."
"I don't either. Alistair is an honorable man." Cullen drummed his gloved fingers against the table, as he nodded in agreement with Valissia.
Without taking his eyes from the map, Christopher stretched a powerful arm out, slid it around Valissia's waist, and drew the flame-haired mage to his side, "None of you will carry this burden alone. The Inquisition can station soldiers there, as protection."
"No. That will be interpreted poorly in Denerim. The nobles would be able to declare it an act of war." Josephine shook her head emphatically.
"We cannot leave Nightreach unprotected and vulnerable. Without anyone claiming the title, it is in flux, and the nobles in Denerim will not let that stand for long", Christopher argued, frustration evident in his features.
"I agree. Talise is an agent of the Inquisition, as are Valissia and Amelia. We would respond this way if Horsemaster Dennet's home was threatened", Cullen added, his gaze tracing over Talise. He wanted to do what Christopher had done with Valissia, to pull Talise to him. She had struggled with this part of her life since setting foot in Skyhold and learning of Jordan's death. In the dark of night, when she cried in the chapel, he had learned that Talise was next in line for Jordan's title, and that she was afraid of taking it. She would be thrust out of the shadows, and into the court at Denerim, leading a motley crew of fiercely loyal freeholders. This time, Cullen knew there was no place to take her, to hide her from the responsibilities she faced, and his heart ached as Talise's shoulders drooped, and she buried her face in her hands.
"No. It would be seen as outright aggression on the part of the Inquisition. My agents in Denerim tell me that the nobles grow more uneasy with the Inquisition working in Ferelden every day." Leliana shook her head, sighing as she looked at Talise, "I'm sorry Talise, I know you do not want the title, but there is little choice."
"I either take it or the keep and everyone in it is at risk. My father and his men built that keep back up from the ground. They died to protect it. I will burn it to the ground before I let it fall into the hands of some pampered, spoiled noble who would strip of it everything we've worked for", Talise spoke the words, her eyes glittering with determination and a rush of anger.
"That's my girl", Amelia smiled from her spot, resting one pale golden cheek against Michel's shoulder. The Orlesian chevalier stood quietly, his steely gaze following the conversation, but returned to Talise; so much hinged on her actions, and the weight seemed too much to carry for the small-statured assassin, even supported by her friends.
"Talise, if Alistair swore that he would protect the bann and the keep, and the people within it, holding it in trust until you decide what to do, would that work?" Michel spoke then, his accent thickening his words.
"Maybe. Tegan and Fergus have Alistair's ear though, and he may well listen to them at some point in time. Alistair is a good man, with the best of intentions, but he has surrounded himself with men who do not always act in his best interest, but their own", Talise looked over her shoulder, smiling gratefully at Michel.
"In addition, the nobles are afraid of Talise. They made the mistake of using the same assassin in their plots and schemes against one another, and now she knows all their secrets. They might look for any opportunity to weaken her", Leliana spoke, her icy gaze tracing over the map and then lifting to Michel, "Alistair is an honorable and good man, at heart. I knew him during the Blight. But he is leading how others want him to, not how he should."
"Well then, I think we had best prepare for Talise's departure for Denerim", Michel responded, a smile lifting his lips, "You'll be Bann Talise when you return."
"It won't be any time soon" Josephine interrupted, looking up from the notes she had written, "According to Ferelden custom, Talise must present herself to Alistair and announce her intention of claiming the title. Although at present I think a letter would be acceptable. Terms must be negotiated, and once they've reached an agreement, then she will go to Denerim to swear fealty."
"The terms will be the same as what Jordan had. I will swear fealty to only Alistair. I don't trust Tegan and Fergus", Talise's bright gaze, surrounded by heavy lashes, glinted with stubbornness and determination.
"Lady Talise Montgomery" Valissia spoke then, testing the name, fighting back laughter, "It sounds ridiculous."
"Oh Maker. I hate the sound of that", Talise shivered, chills racing down her spine, "And this is saying the nobles will accept me."
"They accepted Jordan." Amelia had yet to lift her cheek from Michel's shoulder, but her emeraldine eyes gleamed with intensity as she spoke, belying the softness of her stance.
"Jordan was not an assassin. And he was serving on the royal guard. He had saved Alistair's life." Talise arched an eyebrow at her friend as she looked at Amelia, her bright gaze flicking back to Michel's face and then to Amelia's. The open affection Amelia was showing the Orlesian chevalier had not gone unnoticed, although Talise was too occupied to address it now.
"So did you. The rebellion would have seen him dead and that twit Anora back on the throne", Amelia retorted, finally lifting her cheek from Michel's shoulder, the better to argue with her friend.
"If it's your heritage you're worried about, they accepted Jordan. There are several Banns who are not pure Ferelden right now." Valissia spoke from the comfort of Christopher's side, blanching when she realized she has revealed another secret Talise has kept, "Andraste's ass. I forgot no one knows."
"Knows what?" Cullen spoke the words, but all three advisors looked at Talise, as did the Herald, questions evident in their gaze.
"Thank you Valissia, I appreciate it", Talise shot Valissia dark look, before heaving a sigh, her slim fingers twisting the hem of her tunic shirt in her fingers. She did not look the part of nobility, a simple tunic, left untied, hung off one smooth shoulder, untucked over leather leggings and a pair of scuffed black boots, "My mother was from Rivain. The nobles must accept the half-Rivaini, daughter of a mercenary, who happens to be an assassin, if I'm to be bann."
For a moment, the silence in the war room is deafening, and Talise winces, closing her eyes, her head bowing. She was aware that everyone was looking at her, and she ducked her chin, hiding her face behind a curtain of dark hair, the candlelight sending shimmering streaks of red through the tresses she was hidden behind.
"You don't look Rivaini…" Christopher said bluntly, "And the Rivaini have tattoos, don't they?"
"I favor my father's side of the family, he was Ferelden. And I've never wanted to be tattooed, the needles they use are unsettling." A shiver ran down Talise's frame at the mention of the tattoos, chills breaking out across her smooth skin.
"You're afraid of needles?" Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Cullen could not help but keep the smirk off his lips. Ferelden's most feared assassin was afraid of needles, a very absurd thing to be fearful of.
Dressed as she was, short as she was, Talise was not intimidating, even as she glared at Cullen from behind a waterfall of dark hair, "I'm not afraid of them."
"Yes, she is. She almost passed out when Jordan had that tattoo inked into his arm", Valissia grinned at Talise from around Christopher's arm, using the Herald as a shield from the assassin's dark glare.
"Can we not talk about my fears and focus on the problem?" Talise gritted her teeth, "Are the nobles going to accept me, as I am, all of me? Or will this be for naught?"
Leliana shrugged, one shoulder lifting, "If they accepted Jordan, they likely yes. Also, if Alistair wills it, they will give. There is only one way to find out though."
The glare faded from her face, and she heaved a sigh, her gaze turning back to the map once more, and the spot where the keep stood. In bringing together the sides of her life, she was giving up the mantle of Ghost of Ferelden, it would bring more danger to her family and friends, and those who would depend on her, "I need to write to Alistair and tell him of my intentions to claim the title and Nightreach."
"If that is what you want to do, then yes." Josephine nodded, writing down a small thought, "I will start planning for the event."
"The Inquisition is going?" Cullen blinked once, twice, dark golden lashes obscuring his gaze for a moment, as he fought to hide his shock.
"I am going, for one. Talise is my friend, and I want to see her given her title", Josephine smiled innocently up at Cullen, although mischief sparkled in her eyes, "I could take some time off to go see this ceremony."
"As could I. I could leave the training of the Army in the hands of Michel." As the realization of what Josephine was up to dawned on him, Cullen smiled. They could not openly attend the ceremony as members of the Inquisition, but they could all attend as her guests.
"Ahhhh. No. I think I would prefer to go as a guest. That is, if I am invited", Michel smiled, shaking his head no at Cullen.
"I will need an escort to the ceremony." Amelia grinned up at him, her bright green gaze colliding with his steel and blue one.
"As will Valissia", as she watched the people in the room all figure out a way to come with her, a genuine smile had lifted Talise's lips, making her eyes sparkle, "Lord Trevelyan, I believe the honor falls to you."
"It's settled then. We are all taking some… time off. At the same time", Leliana chuckled, walking towards the doors of the war room.
"I will start on a plan for travel and accommodations along the way. I'm sure all the companions will want to attend. It's not every day that an agent of the Inquisition is given a title by the King of Ferelden", Jospehine was nearly giddy as she slipped out of the war room, walking with Leliana.
"Josephine", Leiliana whispered the words as the ambassador sat down in her office, "We need to find out what is going on in Denerim."
"You think Arl Tegan and Teryn Fergus are planning something?", Josephine looked up from notes she had made during the meeting, her gaze alert and focused.
"Yes. And so do you, I can see it in your eyes. Something is going on, and we need to get to the bottom of it" The spymaster shook her head as she walked away, "See what you can find out, and I will do the same. Talise may be able to find out on her own, but we should do some… research as well."
It took just a few moments for everyone to leave the room, but Talise lingered, running the tips of her fingers over the spot on the map that marked Nightreach Hold. Her eyes gleamed with a rush of emotion and affection for the improbable home she had, despite the circumstances surrounding it. She was aware of Cullen's presence as he stepped up behind her, so close she could feel the chill from his breastplate, "How mad are you?"
Cullen said nothing for long moments, instead he simply looked at Talise, studying the soft features of her face, the waterfall of her hair, shining in the light, the scar that ran across the back of her hand, the curve of one shoulder, bared as the wide neckline of her tunic slid down over it once more. Frustration surged within him, and he breathed in deeply, trying to force it back down, "Your secrets make it hard to protect you."
"I don't need protection." Long years of independence warred within Talise, fighting against her need for Cullen, and she glared up at him for a moment.
"Everyone in this castle needs protection. Corypheus and his agents will look for any opportunity to harm any of us. And you already have a long list of people who want revenge on you", Cullen raked his gloved fingers through his hair in frustration, mussing the carefully combed strands as he did so.
"I've been protecting myself. And Valissia. And Amelia, for years now Cullen. I've been looking over my shoulder since I turned 18", she protested, turning to look up at him, her gaze fierce with determination.
"I know that. And you've done a good job of it".
"Then why are you so insistent that you have to protect me?"
"Because I was the one that stayed with you the first night you got here. I was the one holding you when you cried for your brother. I was the one that prayed with you. I was the one you wrote to, I was the one you came to when you got back." His hands curled around his shoulders, powerful arms easily lifted her to her toes as he looked down at her, his own amber gaze dark with a rush of anger and frustration. It was not just anger that darkened his gaze, his feelings for Talise were obvious, as was fear.
All the fight fled Talise as she looked up at him, her fingers curling around his wrist, "Cullen…"
The words were tumbling out of him, everything he had held back for weeks now, months, "Because you came to me, bloody and bruised. Your blood stained my desk, I see it every day, did you know that?"
"No. I… I didn't..." She shook her head no at his words, her sky touched gaze wide as she looked up at him.
"Your risks don't just involve you anymore. I cannot lose you, not now. I am trying to protect you, and let you have your independence."
"Are you… Are you scared?" As his words echoed in the war room around them, she whispered her response, suddenly aware of the burn of tears at the backs of her eyes, and a lump in her throat.
He paused then, looking down at her fingers curled around his wrists, his hands holding her shoulders still, and then into her eyes, swimming with emotion. In one motion he curled his arms around her, pulling her to him, until he could bury his face in her soft hair, "Maker's breath. I worry every time you leave Skyhold."
"I always come back. You're carrying a heavier burden than I am." She sighed, leaning into his embrace, burying her face in the fur mantle of his surcoat.
He said nothing, one hand holding the back of her head, gloved fingers tangled in her dark tresses, the other hand splayed over her back, holding her to him. His amber eyes slid closed as he rested his cheek on the top of her head, breathing in the smell of water lilies from her soap. Holding her in his arms, he resolved to stand in the war room for as long as possible, and ignore the consequences, there was nothing as important as keeping her in his arms, and keeping Talise with him for as long as he possibly could.