"You cannot defeat a warrior in open combat", Talise stood in the sparring ring, warm sunshine sparkling red and gold in her dark hair, the long strands lifted into a high ponytail. Deftly she flipped a small dagger through her fingers as she spoke, standing in front of a small group of scouts. Her lessons had moved from a small room within the keep to outside, and now they were gathered into a small knot in the sparring ring, "They have more strength than you do."
"So how do we fight them?" A scout spoke up, sharp eyes following Talise's movements.
"You have several things in your favor. Your speed. Your skills. And your lack of armor", Talise continued to walk amongst the scouts, as she spoke.
"They wear plate and we don't. How is that in our favor?" The scout followed Talise as she spoke, sharp eyes taking in her small form.
She nodded in agreement to the scout's words, but held up the hand not twirling the small dagger, "Plate is far heavier than the armor most of us wear. And that means…"
"We can move faster." Another scout spoke, understanding starting to gleam in her dark brown gaze.
"We can move more." One more scout spoke, nodding in agreement.
"We can fight for longer." Gaining in confidence, the answers started to come faster and faster as Talise walked amongst the scouts, weaving through the small crowd.
"All excellent answers. And all of them are true", Talise came to a stop, standing in front of Blackwall. The Grey Warden had come down to the training ring earlier, listening intently as Talise taught and guided the scouts, "With the exception of Wardens. I still don't know how they do it, but they can fight longer and harder than most warriors. You won't be able to outlast a Warden."
"But you can still move faster than most of us." Blackwall spoke then, "My armor is meant to take a blow, but it does hamper movement slightly. Talise favors a very agile fighting style, and it is hard to fight back against that in full plate."
"Exactly. Every opponent you will face has a weakness. Warriors in general have weaknesses, and those that specialize in fighting styles have specialized weaknesses. Your job, is to find out those weaknesses, and exploit them." She flipped the dagger in the air, the dark steel gleamed dully in the late afternoon sunlight, and slid it easily into the underside of one of her bracers.
"Remember to study your opponent." Blackwall's voice rumbled as he spoke, his eyes tracking over Talise's movements. She would have been a boon to the Wardens, her senses finally tuned, her focus razor sharp, and her fighting style almost unnatural.
Talise nodded at Blackwall's words, her deft fingers continuing to flip the dagger over and over as she spoke, "If you find yourself in a fight without knowing much about your opponent, you've made a mistake. Use stealth and shadows to watch your opponents, before you make a move."
Out of the corner of her eye she caught the shining, tawny golden gleam of Cullen's hair, carefully swept back, and for a moment she paused, before facing her scouts again, "Templars hold their shields angled down, for instance, it's a habit from dealing with mages. So, you won't be able to go under them."
The scouts nodded, all of them looking towards the small group of templars gathered, who in turn looked at each other, and then back at the scouts. She tugged on the shield Blackwall carried, and the black-haired Warden, catching on to what she wanted, pulled it over his shoulder, holding it as he were facing an opponent.
"But that means you have a clearer shot over the top of the shield." Talise tugged on the shield once more, and Blackwall moved his arm, until it was angled down, the way Templars carried theirs. She slid one small hand over the top of the shield, demonstrating as she spoke.
"They wear helmets." The same scout that had mentioned the plate armor spoke again, revealing a weakness, he was unused to fighting warriors in plate.
"They do. A well-placed dagger can get under the helmet and over the gorget around their throat. Or under the arm. You don't need to land a killing blow, just enough to slow them down, or incapacitate them for a few moments." Talise motioned to one of the templars, "Can we pick on you for a moment?"
The young templar blinked, his eyes wide as he took in the scouts, all studying him openly, and he flushed in response, turning to Cullen. The Commander did not answer for a moment, he was staring at Talise with an almost dreamy expression on his face, lost in thought. When the templar cleared his throat, Cullen flushed, and nodded to the templar, "Go on. It's a good idea."
Instead of sparring with the templar, Talise had the scouts try to find weak points in his armor, pointing out areas they missed. Her fingers slid beneath the templar's bracer, wiggling it and demonstrating how you could get a dagger into it, cutting into the arm, and Cullen moved, stepping into the sparring ring.
"This is why you must make sure your armor fits well. A dagger cannot penetrate plate, and an assassin or spy won't try to. They'll try to get under or around the armor. It only takes a small cut for a poisoned blade to make you ill." He spoke to the templars and warriors, his honeyed gaze flicking over them as he took an opportunity to teach them.
"I'd say Talise has done a fine job of getting under yours Commander", Blackwall grinned as he held an arm out for a scout to inspect.
"Yes… well…" Cullen blushed to the roots of his hair, while Talise smirked up at him from the opposite side of the templar.
"We can't say Cullen has gotten under Talise's armor, since she doesn't like wearing much of it" Iron Bull grinned, leaning on the wooden fence of the ring, his great axe propped up against it.
"We are not talking about me. Or Cullen" Talise fought back a grin even as she spoke, "We're training."
"Have you and the Commander sparred yet?" A templar blurted out the question, only to flush when several of the scouts started giggling.
"I'd wager they have." A Templar spoke then, grinning openly at his commanding officer. Cullen reflexively rubbed at the back of his neck, words beyond him for a moment. While he was openly courting Talise now, no longer even trying to hide his feelings for her, the knowledge that everyone knew, all those rumors had turned out to be true, still brought a flush to his cheeks.
"Last time they sparred we heard them", the grin on Iron Bull's face was positively wicked, and both Cullen and Talise blushed at his words.
"No… I meant…" The templar, a young man who could not yet even grow a full beard, was blushing harder than either the commander or the famed assassin, if that was possible.
"To answer your question, we've been in this practice ring a few times." Talise grinned at the templar, dropping into a perfect curtsy, even in fitted leggings, in front of Cullen, "What say you, Commander Rutherford, shall we?"
For an answer, Cullen shrugged his surcoat off, and hung it on the fence of the sparring ring, as a cheer went through the templars gathered to watch, drawing even more attention. He did not preen, or taunt Talise, he simply stood in the middle of the ring, quietly exuding a dominant, masculine strength as he watched her with honeyed eyes.
As they stood there, staring at each other, eyes meeting each other in a clash of golden amber and sky-touched blue, Talise slid a long dagger from the harness on her back, and Cullen held out an arm, taking the shield offered from a nearby templar. A whispered rush slid around the ring, Iron Bull taking several bets as Talise started to circle Cullen with slow, predatory steps. Her free hand reached for the black scarf she wore, and she drew the dark material up over her full-lipped mouth, and then her nose, until the edge rested on her full cheek bones, obscuring her features from view. It was not a move meant to hide her face, everyone knew who she was already, but as that scarf slid over her features, Talise faded from view. When her bright gaze lifted to Cullen's again, it was the Ghost of Ferelden looking up at him.
He sucked in a breath, the air ringing with noise as he slid his sword free of its scabbard, turning slowly as Talise moved, not yet daring to move against her, keeping his shield held close to him. Old habits, ingrained to him for years, had him holding his shield tilted down, just as Talise had mentioned, and she lifted a dark brow at it, then looked back up at him. Another dagger slid into view, and the assassin spun it in her grasp, until the length of it ran alongside her wrist, she would block with that one, a move Cullen had watched numerous times.
The air grew thick with anticipation, every scout and templar seemed to hold their breath, Iron Bull and Blackwall exchanged knowing grins, and Talise started to edge closer to Cullen as she prowled around him. She would be within striking distance of his sword soon, would have to counter the momentum from his shield, avoid his sword, and just as he moved, pushing out with his shield, a scream echoed from inside the keep.
The noise hung in the air for a moment, echoing off the ancient, magical stones of the keep. Talise blinked, her gaze darting from Cullen to the keep. The soldiers and templars watching the fight reached for their weapons, Iron Bull and Blackwall both drew their swords, as the crowd gathered around the ring continued to watch the main doors of the keep.
A moment later, Varric burst from through the doors, shouting about an assassin attack, followed closely by Cassandra, who shouted over the dwarf, the House of Repose was making a move against Josephine. Cullen and Talise sprang into action, the commander sent soldiers to the main keep, and then some towards the gates of the castle. Blackwall followed the soldiers, pushing to the lead and shouting for Josephine as he ran into the main keep, sword drawn, shield held at the ready. Talise rounded up the scouts, sending them towards the ramparts, shouting a reminder to remember their training.
Sera stood beside her, her golden blonde hair gleaming in the light as the elf looked at Talise, "Some of yours then?"
"Orlesian. I told Josephine this damn plan of hers wasn't going to work", Talise slid her daggers back into their sheaths on her back, pointing towards Cullen's quarters, "They're going to make a run for it. I'm going to watch from there."
"Bit obvious, don't you think?" Sera giggled as she slid an arrow lose from the quiver on her back.
"Yes, but that's the point. If they're in the keep, if they've been paying attention, they know Cullen and I are… close. They'll assume I'll hunt for them from a safe spot, and that includes Cullen's quarters." As she spoke, Talise turned, heading for the stairs past the Herald's Rest, the end of her dark ponytail swinging as she moves.
"Which are above the main gate. Fastest way out of the castle, and she'll be sitting over it", Iron Bull grinned as he moved, making his way towards Cassandra. The Seeker and the Qunari mercenary exchanged glances, before heading towards the barn, intent on sweeping it for anyone trying to steal a mount an escape.
Talise's booted feet came to a stop above the main gate, and she tugged at the black scarf up over mouth and nose, up to her high cheekbones, obscuring the lower half of her face. Her gaze narrowed on the doors to the main hall, as a shadowy figure emerged, moving down the steps, almost a blur of movement. Sera leaned out of the door to Cullen's office, having seen the same figure, and at Talise's nod, the elf knocked an arrow in her bow, aiming for the figure.
Talise slipped down the stairs, cloaking herself in shadows as she moved to the path heading towards the main gate. The Orlesian assassin was too busy looking over his shoulder, the keep was bristling with soldiers, all of them armed and looking for Josephine's attackers. When his gaze swung back to the main keep, he slid to a stop, just within arm's reach of Talise. She had appeared out of thin air, shadows swirling and solidifying into her form just as the other assassin had turned to look towards the main gate.
"Ghost… you must understand. We had a contract to fulfill", the man nearly babbled, his eyes wide as he took in the sight before him. Talise was regarding him through bright eyes, her gaze focused on him, and cold with intensity as she stared at him.
She said nothing in return, but the hiss of steel sounded in the air as she drew a long dagger, dripping with a purple poison so dark it nearly appeared black. Her opponent blinked, reached for his last dagger, and Talise struck. In a blur of movement, she moved, embedding the poisoned dagger in his neck with one move, and then stepping back out of his reach.
Slowly the assassin dropped to his knees, hands rising to the dagger in his throat, as a crowd of people gathered. Cassandra and Iron Bull pushed their way past the people, both had drawn their weapons when Talise had appeared; the Seeker looked wide-eyed as the dying assassin fell to his knees, fingers wrapped around Talise's dagger, streaks of purple already starting to show on his face, the poison flowing through the man's veins. Bull kept his great axe pointed at the man, but his gaze flicked to Talise, taking in her appearance as she stood, watching the man slowly die.
"Well little love… you just appeared out of thin air", the Qunari mercenary grinned at her, finally lifting his axe as the assassin fell face first into the cold mud.
"I have that habit", her words were muffled behind the scarf that covered her mouth and cheeks. The assassin's body was still twitching, his fingers digging into the mud in one last futile attempt at survival. Talise leaned down, and tugged the dagger from the man's neck; despite the coldness in her gaze, she murmured a short prayer, and closed the dead man's eyes with a gloved hand.
"Blackwall took one down in Josephine's office, Cullen and Christopher cornered the last one in the library." Cassandra held out a scrap of cloth to Talise, and then sheathed her own sword.
"Is everyone alright?" Talise took the cloth Cassandra offered, wiping down her dagger carefully before she sheathed it.
"Valissia and Amelia were there when the assassin got to the library, but they are fine" Cassandra answered, motioning with a hand towards the keep.
"And Christopher? And Cul—The Commander?" she turned her gaze to the soldier who had spoken.
"The Herald has a few cuts. Valissia healed the Commander after the assassin was killed." Iron Bull watched Talise as she bent down, searching through the now dead's assassin's pockets. Nimble fingers flipped open pockets, tugging a few notes free.
"Cullen took a hard blow to the head", Cassandra spoke then, her eyes widening as the look on Talise's face turned murderous, already soldiers were coming to move the assassin's body. Cassandra gave a few orders to the soldiers, and turned back to look at Talise, only to find the assassin was stalking up the steps to the main hall of the keep.
Both the Seeker and the Qunari warrior followed Talise, as she walked towards the main hall of the keep, easily taking the stairs two at a time. She had yet to tug down the scarf covering the lower half of her face, and dressed in black armor, weapons visible, she was an intimidating sight for many, who had never seen her work before. The crowd of onlookers that had gathered in the main hall parted like the ocean for Talise, as she strode in, her eyes gleaming with a barely held anger.
Josephine's eyes widened as Talise stepped up to them. She was holding a bandage to Blackwall's arm, and the Warden was insisting that he was fine. His complaints died as he saw Talise, standing before him, bristling with anger, and seeming to have every dagger and knife in all Skyhold on her frame somewhere.
"Are we done trying to be diplomatic about this?" Talise tugged down the scarf as she spoke, raising a dark eyebrow at Josephine.
"We need to explore every possible diplomatic avenue", Josephine responded, tying the bandage around Blackwall's arm.
"We have. The Du Paraquettes are not going to let this matter drop, obviously, or they would have canceled the contract with the House of Repose", one gloved hand gestured to soldiers, as they carried the body of an assassin out of the keep.
"I have to agree with Talise. If there is a way to resolve this faster, than we need to take it", Blackwall murmured.
"There is a way. We take the contract out of the vaults. Without a contract to honor, they will back off", Leliana spoke, slightly winded, carrying her bow with her as she walked up behind Talise.
"I agree with Leliana", Iron Bull chimed in, settling his great axe on his back.
"This is my problem, and I do not wish to make any trouble", The Antivan ambassador shook her head no at Leliana, still holding a bandage to Blackwall's arm.
"You already have Josephine", as Talise spoke, her gaze lifted to Cullen and Christopher, emerging from the library. Cullen was rubbing at a tender spot on the back of his head, Christopher had his arm wrapped around Valissia, who leaned heavily on him, clearly exhausted, "You made trouble when you insisted this stupid idea of raising a bunch of idiots to nobility. And Christopher, you're a bigger idiot for going along with it."
Talise had never spoken with so much venom in her voice, and the Herald, over a foot taller than her, stopped in his tracks, his dark green gaze wide. Beside him, Valissia pushed away from his side, glaring up at him, "Is this about this thing with Josephine? I told you the House of Repose would not let this go."
"I thought it would be better to take a more diplomatic approach with this." Christopher muttered, dropping his gaze from Valissia's furious gray eyes.
"Well, we now know clearly they won't stop. I am not letting another one of their assassin's into Skyhold", Talise shot an icy glare at Josephine, and the ambassador blinked in response, unused to this side of the assassin.
"I agree. It would have been faster to do it this way from the beginning" Leiliana spoke, coming to stand behind Talise, "I will send my best agents."
"I still think we coul…" still determined to bring her problems to a diplomatic end, Josephine continued to argue, letting Valissia take the bandage from her arm. The redheaded mage looked closely at the wound, before holding her hand over the cut, a soothing green glow emanating from her hand as she healed the wound.
"Thank you, milady,", Blackwall briefly watched, but kept his gaze locked on Josephine as he was healed.
Talise shook her head at the ambassador, the movement sending the end of her ponytail slithering over one black-leather covered shoulder, "You can do whatever you want Josephine. I'm going to the House of Repose, I'm getting into the vaults, and I am destroying the contract. If your diplomatic connections can get your plan accomplished before I get to the contract, so be it."
"And if I don't approve of this idea?" Christopher arched a dark eyebrow in question, folding his large arms over his equally large chest.
"Unless you plan on throwing me in jail, and putting me under guard, I'm going to the House of Repose. You can disapprove it all you want, it won't stop me." Talise met Christopher's gaze with her own, clearly not backing down from her plan.
Amelia swiped at her mouth, wiping away the blood from a split lip, "I'll go get my gear."
"Do you need me to go?" Valissia questioned, not lifting her storm-colored gaze from Blackwall's arm as she studied the healed wound.
Talise lifted one shoulder in a shrug, her blackened armor shifting as she moved, "If you want to. I won't take you into the vaults with me though."
"No. Valissia is not going." Christopher spoke then, and shook his head, crossing powerful arms over a well-muscled chest, giving Valissia a commanding look.
"The decision is not yours to make Christopher, and since you already took the wrong course of action here, I'm going to agree with Talise on this one." At the Herald's tone, Valissia looked up, arching an eyebrow in challenge. Her voice dripped with ice as she said his name, each word carefully enunciated, a clear indication of her annoyance.
Cullen had not spoken a word during the dispute, uncharacteristically choosing to stay quiet. The change in Talise, from the sweet, soft woman who held him during nightmares, to the focused, intense, assassin standing in front of him, was startling. She was openly questioning the Herald's decisions, had snapped at Josephine, and had stated her intentions, ignoring the Herald's objections.
"I don't disagree with the decision. But perhaps we should wait until we are all cooled off", he spoke then, pulling his hand away from his throbbing head. The blow he had taken had stunned him, which had been the intent, and he saw stars for several moments, gathering his wits about him in time to stop an assassin who was fighting with Amelia.
"I am perfectly calm", Talise's sharp retort, and the gleam in her summer bright gaze said she was anything but calm.
"Perhaps we should finish this discussion in the war room", Christopher spoke then, lifting his gaze from Valissia, who met his look with one of her own, to the onlookers around the main hall. Everyone was clearly listening in, many pretending not to pay attention, many openly gawking at the brewing argument, but everyone was absorbing every word spoken. The hallway echoed with the ongoing discussion as everyone moved to the war room.
Michel dabbed at Amelia's split lip with a handkerchief, and Talise found herself standing at Cullen's side, hands shaking as she reached up to the swelling knot on the back of his head. Despite her gentle touch, Cullen hissed at the contact, and Talise's eyes darkened with anger. She shot Josephine a look full of venom, while leaning over the table and holding a hand out to Valissia, "Do you think you have one more spell in you?"
"Here… let me do it", Magdalena swept into the room, her loose skirts trailing behind her as she walked. With her silver woven hair left down, and carrying her staff, she looked very much like a Rivaini seer. Standing on tiptoe, she held a hand over the back of Cullen's hand, and cast her spell, the whites of her eyes showing as her dark gaze rolled backwards. Cullen could not suppress a shiver as he was healed, the magic rolled off Magdalena in waves, but when she pulled back, the pain from the blow, the ache in his joints, even in his hands, was gone.
"We should come up with a plan. Quickly, before word reading the House of Repose. But we cannot just rush in there blind", Leiliana spoke.
"I have the plan" Talise tugged the scarf down from around her face with an irritated movement, "I am taking Valissia and Amelia, we're going to Val Royeaux. The headquarters for the House of Repose is there, along with the vaults."
"I do think we need to move on the House of Repose. They've now proven to be a threat. We should send soldiers to Val Royeaux", Cullen spoke, sliding an arm around Talise, his amber gaze darting to the top of her head when she stiffened beside him.
"I can get there and back on my own faster", the idea of riding to the capital of Orlais with a battalion of soldiers sent chills down the assassin's spine. Long used to hiding in the shadows, and working from the cover of darkness, any undue attention felt wrong to her.
"You're not facing them alone", Cullen countered, meeting her summer bright gaze with a stubborn set to his jaw, and a determined look in his eyes.
"We can't march soldiers into Val Royeaux looking for the vaults, the Inquisition would be accused of trying to take over", Josephine responded, looking scandalized at the very idea.
"I agree, we could send some of my agents with Talise. She's been training some of them herself", Leliana nodded to Josephine's words, but her gaze softened as she looked at Cullen. She knew why the commander was suggesting soldiers go to Val Royeaux, to protect the woman he had his arm wrapped around, "However, we could send a small detachment, very small, to wait on the outskirts, more of an escort."
"Close enough they could get in to the city if needed, we'll need a cover story as to why they are there." Cullen was visibly relieved to find the Spymaster on his side, and even more relieved when Talise relaxed beside him.
Cullen was offering her a compromise, and Talise knew it. Even as she chafed at the idea of leaving Skyhold with more than a handful of agents, she would agree to it, if only to make Cullen feel more at ease with her leaving, "They cannot follow into the city."
"I want to come. I can help" Cole seemingly appeared out of thin air, most of the occupants in the room jumping with his appearance. Except for Talise, who met his pale gaze with her own summer bright one; she regarded the other rogue for a moment, before she nodded in agreement.
"If you want Cole. But things will get messy."
"They tried to hurt Josephine. They will try again. We must protect her." Cole answered, peering at Talise from under the wide brim of his odd hair.
"I'm going", Amelia slipped from under Michel's arm to stand beside Cole, crossing her arms over her chest, "The asshole sucker punched me. I owe someone for that."
"You'll need a healer." Valissia pointedly ignored Christopher as she spoke, although she still stood close to him.
"I'm going."
The Herald was met by a chorus of No's, much to his annoyance, and several moments were spent arguing back and forth about things. Finally, Josephine broke through the debate, "The Inquisition cannot be openly seen hunting down a house of assassins. This must be done quietly. As Herald, you cannot be seen anywhere near Val Royeaux until this is over."
Christopher opened his mouth to argue, only to close it when he realized the truth of the Antivan ambassador's words. His gaze drifted to Valissia, and although she was still glaring at him, she had not yet left his side; as mad as she was at him, she was still with him. His large hand reached for hers, and she squeezed his fingers gently.
"We can sneak soldiers into Val Royeaux, to be closer if needed", Cullen spoke, breaking the fragile peace that had been achieved in the room.
"No. If they are seen we will be given away. The House of Repose is expecting retribution, I am already at a disadvantage", Talise shook her head at Cullen, meeting his stubborn gaze with one of her own.
"Outside the city is too far away if you need help", the commander responded, his voice rising as his temper did.
"Inside the city is too close for safety. If we are exposed, we will be at risk", Talise shook her head, looking towards both Amelia and Valissia for help with her argument. Valissia would not meet her gaze, and Amelia shook her head, clearly wanting no part of the brewing argument.
"Which is exactly why you should you have soldiers nearby" Cullen responded.
As Cullen and Talise argued, Blackwall offers his uninjured arm to Josephine, and Leliana followed them. Amelia took Cole by the arm, gently drawing the not quite spirit out of the room, followed by Michel. Valissia and Christopher stayed, offering their own opinions. Magdalena watched from the far end of the war table, her dark gaze bouncing from Cullen and then Talise, but she stayed quiet.
"I will accept soldiers waiting on the outskirts. But they cannot come into the city. If something goes wrong, we can make it to the edge of the city, where they will be waiting." Talise gritted the words out, one booted foot tapping impatiently against the stone floor as she spoke.
"Cullen, it does seem like a fair compromise", Christopher spoke then, trying to ease the growing tension between Cullen and Talise. The Commander of the Inquisition and the Ghost of Ferelden were glaring at each other, each unwilling to bend.
"One day. If you haven't contacted the troops waiting for you after one day in the city, they will have orders to go in and look for you", Cullen's jaw clenched as he spoke, the muscles ticking as he fought to keep his voice from rising.
"I can't get into the vaults and out in just a day."
"You don't have to. You must contact the soldiers. I'm sending Rylen and a force small enough to be unnoticed, but large enough to be of use."
"Is this absolutely necessary?"
Christopher spoke again, ignoring the way Valissia stiffened at his side, "Yes, it is. For me to agree to it, you'll have to agree to this plan. Rylen and a small squadron of troops will accompany you to Val Royeaux, they will wait for you on the outskirts."
"And you will provide at least daily updates to Rylen while you're within the city. But this must be done quickly." Cullen spoke again, folding his arms over his armored chest as he looked down at Talise. The idea of her facing down an entire guild of assassins terrified him, and it was his fear that drove him to make such demands.
"I'm not a child Cullen." Talise winced as she said the words, she sounded like a child arguing her point.
"I'm aware of that Talise. But you are not facing down just one target this time. The Ghost of Ferelden has done many things, but you have yet to take on an entire house of assassins by yourself."
"Are you saying I cannot do this?"
"And that's our cue", Valissia whispered to Christopher, catching him by the sleeve and tugging him towards the doors. They were closely followed by Magdalena, who had remained silent during the debate, but wore a grin as she walked from the war room towards Josephine's office. Christopher followed, rubbing at his temples with a large, calloused hand. Valissia turned, as the doors to the war room were slammed shut, and she took several steps back down the hallway, her brows drawing together in concern.
"No Mija. Leave them be", Magdalena curls a wrinkled hand around Valissia's arm, shaking her head no, "You never come between a lion and his mate."