The evening at Skyhold seemed to have come quicker today as the thick and lead colored clouds rolled over the mountain tops and devoured the last of the sunlight. Calpernia sat in her small study, courtesy of the Inquisition and the local mages, and pondered about her next steps. So far it seemed that her new choice of allies had turned out for the best. People here were certainly different than the kind she had come to know previously in her life. They treated everyone with certain degree of respect, even people like her.
A sudden roar of thunder interrupted her musings and she looked out of the window only to spot several soldiers who were hastily moving across the ramparts and into the safety of the adjoined towers. Only a few unfortunate souls doomed to suffer through their guard duty hours were present at their posts, stoically accepting the sudden downpour which broke loose from the blackened skies above. Calpernia watched the buzz of the courtyard for a moment longer before her eyes found a man who was quickly shouting something at the others and the glowing halo of his fair hair safely identified him as Commander Cullen.
The tevinter mage slowly shifted in her seat and leaned closer to the window to better observe the man below. He intrigued her to some degree. A former templar and now the commander of the Inquisition forces has had a sort of oddly reassuring presence around him. He seemed fair to his men and inspired respect in most of the inhabitants of Skyhold and Calpernia noticed how others seemed to look up to him, she had seen how he rallied the troops during the announcement of the Inquisitors.
As it often happened her line of thought jumped from the subject to subject and so now she caught herself thinking about the two women who were chosen to gather and lead the forces against her former ally, Corypheus. She knew about the Champion of Kirkwall. After all who didn't. Mariann Hawke was a logical and a very good choice when it came to the matter of who would stand up against such a treat as the former tevinter magister posed. What was still a mystery though was the role the second Inquisitor was supposed to play.
Ellena bore the Mark but in Calpernia's eyes that was where her usefulness ended. She knew well how people treated elves and not to mention an elf who was without a doubt a slave from Tevinter. It was so obvious the first time she saw her, chained to the spot and left as a sort of sacrifice for Corypheus to snuff out of existence. But still she could recognize a growing confidence in that young woman. It was probably that spark of defiance which made Calpernia act. Not many slaves were able to stand up for themselves. Once a person was broken and left to believe they were property of someone else there seemed to have a been a certain degree of a mute acceptance.
Calpernia sighed and stood up. She needed a word with the Commander. If she was to secure a safe position for herself within the ranks of the Inquisition she needed to prove that she was to be trusted and so far there was a topic which no one here seemed to have addressed before and which might as well win her some favors. After all one would have to be stupid to not notice that the spymaster who so willingly wanted to sacrifice Ellena to the enemy was still around and in business. And Calpernia could see a double play when it so readily unfolded right under her nose.
She quickly reached for her cloak and straightened up her clothes, first impressions were important and Calpernia was not a fool who would seek an audience with the Commander and look less than very presentable. She checked her hair in the small mirror which hung on the wall next to the window and corrected a few loose strands back into their place. Satisfied she nodded at her reflection. She could not really see too much difference from her days with Corypheus, apart maybe that the dark circles under her eyes were now less visible, most likely due to the fact that she could sleep soundly again and the few nights of good rest did wonders. Yes it did seem like her choice in switching her allegiance was a good one.
It took her around ten minutes of persuading the man in charge of her movements around the keep of the importance of her meeting. Dorian Pavus was another example of just how varied and open minded the Inquisition could be. Not many other organizations in Ferelden would willingly accept a help from a man who was a son of one of the magisters who had helped to sway all the rebellious mages ring under Corypheus' grasp. Yet here he was, questioning her at first but when she agreed to let him in on the secret of her information for Cullen, the altus from Minrathous only nodded, wished her luck and waved her off lazily with one hand, promptly returning to his seat at the alcove of the library and to his books.
Luckily Calpernia did not have to explain her reasoning or motives to anyone else on her way to the tower which the Commander chose as his post of command. The rotunda where the elven apostate Solas usually spent his free time painting or reading was all empty now and the large hall only hosted two or three fereldens who sat in a darkened corners near the fireplaces and enjoyed a drink while their eyes reflected the orange flames and they all seemed lost in thought. Calphernia quickly made her way out of the large gate and down the stairs which led to the courtyard. The rain made all the stones look almost black and sleek and the fact that otherwise busy place was now eerily empty made Calpernia feel slightly uneasy. Finally she almost ran up the stairs which led to the ramparts and hid herself under the roof overhang of the large tower. Well now was the time to see if she could turn this information in her advantage.
"It was really Hawke's idea you know?" Bethany laughed slightly as she drew Ellena farther into her room and seated the still stunned and perhaps a slightly overwhelmed woman onto one of the chairs near the large window. "Come now, it is not that bad." She offered a reassuring smile and placed one hand on Ellena's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze.
Well those words were easily said but of course things would not be easy. As much as the idea of having two Inquisitors seemed appealing to the masses and perhaps even a reasonable choice Bethany could not entirely convince herself that Ellena was up for the task. During their lives in Kirkwall Bethany and Hawke have both encountered slaves before. Some of them in the houses of the nobles the others when they found themselves caught up between the Guards and local slavers. And the younger Hawke sister could still remember their dealings with the freed slaves. None of them knew with any certainty how to act or what to do with their freedom. And here they were trying not only to have Ellena deal with the freedom but also a heavy responsibility which her new position would entail. But of course Bethany could acknowledge the reasoning behind all this. She had the mark and needed to be put forth in order to inspire people and utilize the power which has been so miraculously bestowed upon her.
"I...I still don't understand." Ellena's voice brought Bethany from her musings and she finally sat down and smiled at the elf.
"Understand?" Bethany tried to prompt her new friend into voicing her thoughts and concerns it would be easier if she could hear what was on Ellena's mind.
Meanwhile the elf opposite her let out a soft sigh and nervously folded her hands into her lap before she took a deep breath and spoke again. "I mean I have a hard time to understand my place in all this. Since this all started..." Ellena paused and looked down at her left hand where as Bethany presumed the mark was still present albeit hidden at the moment.
"Did you speak with anyone about this?" Bethany smiled reassuringly and to make the whole situation seem a bit more comfortable pushed a small bowl of caramel marbles which she had brought from Kirkwall towards Ellena.
"No. I did not think it would be fitting. You see back home I knew what my duties were and how to act. Here? Nothing makes much sense." Ellena let out a small sigh and leaned forward to rest her elbows on the edge of the table and then hid her face in her palms. "And I don't know what to do about Cullen either." She half whispered from between her fingers.
Cullen? Now that was new and Bethany leaned forward eagerly. The matter with the Inquisition might be beyond her help and she knew it on the other hand if Ellena had some unresolved feeling for the former templar that was something which could be easily helped with.
"So...what exactly do you mean Ellena?" Bethany resumed a bit more neutral expression and leaned back in her chair in order to not scare the elf, it was enough she already looked like a lost puppy.
Instead of any answer there was a long silence which filled the room and hung between the two women slightly uncomfortably. In the end Ellena drew a deep breath and lightly lowered her hands from her face and rested them on the table. Bethany could see a new expression on the small face of her companion. Where before were only doubts she could see a growing determination which slowly reflected from Ellena's eyes.
"Bethany...is..is it alright if I call you that?" Ellena finally broke the silence and clutched her hands into small fists.
"Of course. I know I have been here for only a short while, but we are friends right?" The younger Hawke sister smiled with a nod and kept her eyes strained on Ellena, her curiosity growing. This seemed a bit more serious than a regular crush the elf might have had for her commander.
"Thank you. It means a lot to me. Since I lost my sisters I never really had anyone to talk to, well I mean privately that is." Ellena smiled back warily but continued in a steady tone of a voice. "What I am not certain about is my status. People here act as if I was one of them but that is something I was not taught and I am not sure how to act back. Am I free while I am with the Inquisition or am I only Leliana's property and things will be as they used to once I return home?"
Now that was certainly not a question Bethany expected. For once she had no idea how Leliana fit into any of this. She only met the Chantry Sister and the Left Hand of the Divine briefly. The best she could remember where the times when the Orleasian was telling her various stories back in Lothering. Why would she be now Ellena's owner? There was something here which needed investigation and it needed it soon.
"Hmm a good question." Bethany stalled for time while she tried her best to look like she knew what was going on. "What is most important in all this Ellena is if you wish to go back home." She said finally after giving it a little bit more thought. In the end she will pick the issue up according to how Ellena feels about her future. That seemed as the best choice for now.
Bethany could see that her words have had some impact on the young elf before her. Ellena clenched and unclenched her hands before she nodded with a deep determination set in her features. "No, I don't think I wish to go back home. Not after I've had a chance to see how different life here can be." She replied finally and her answer made Bethany smile. Well that certainly was a step forward.
"Now then, why don't you tell me how Leliana is involved in all this?" The younger Hawke sister asked once again nudging the conversation towards the issue she wished to discuss further.
"She...she wrote to Lady Atorian, my former Master's wife." Ellena continued clearly now resolute in getting this talk over with once she started. "Lady Atorian wrote her that she is to be my temporal Master here and after the work for the Inquisition is done I am to return back home."
"And Leliana showed you this letter?" Bethany asked with a small frown which formed on her otherwise calm and neutral face. This was certainly interesting and also a little bit disturbing. Sister Nightingale have been known for her rather liberal views of the Chantry and the politics and as such her open action in a matter of slavery such as this was more than baffling.
"Yes she also advised me to stay away from Cullen, for the sake of my Master's reputation. I...I thought I could do that but when she left me for Corypheus to kill me..." Ellena paused as if she had suddenly said something she was not supposed to and looked up at Bethany with frightful eyes.
"What do you mean she left you for Corypheus to kill you?" The mage asked suddenly and stood up and slowly walked over to the elf to make sure she would say everything and not try to weasel out of it.
"I shouldn't have said so. The reputation..." Ellena clutched her hands together and only now did Bethany noticed the still visible bruises on her wrists.
"Ellena, forget the reputation for a moment." Bethany smiled lightly and lowered herself down on her knees to level herself with her friend. "This is not about some reputation this is about your life. I can assure you that you will not be forced to go back to your home or Tevinter if you don't want to. You have my word."
"I...thank you, Bethany it means a lot." Ellena's face was lit up by the tiniest of the smiles as she drew in a deep breath and continued. "Very well. It was at the battle of Haven. Corypheus came there for me and Leliana agreed to this and chained me up for him to kill me. She said it was for the good of everyone else and that I should be proud of my service. I know that a good slave would have died there willingly but I just couldn't. I wanted to live. Then a woman who arrived with Corypheus helped me escape."
Bethany was left in a stunned silence for a moment as she went through all that she had just heard again. This seemed almost impossible. Leliana to sacrifice someone to the enemy? Just like that? It made no sense. But before she could say anything else in the matter a door creaked behind them and both women turned to look at the entrance. There stood Commander Cullen with the same confused expression which Bethany was sure reflected on her own face. He looked from her to Ellena then back and then took a few steps inside the room.
"Is this true?" He asked finally his question directed at the both women rather than anyone specifically.
Bethany looked over at Ellena who sat with eyes wide open in what looked like surprise mixed with fear and so she decided to step in.
"I have no reason to not believe her Cullen." She replied and drew one hand protectively over the elf's shoulders. But instead of any more questions or words at all the Commander of the Inquisition quickly walked forward and in four steps stood before Ellena and then before anyone had any chance to say something, drew her tightly into an embrace of his arms.
"I am so sorry Ellena. I will make this right you have my word." Bethany could hear him half whisper into Ellena's ear who slowly recovered from the shock of her situation and returned the embrace with a soft sigh. And Bethany was sure in that moment that those two have longed for such embrace for a very long time.
AN: I am sorry for the delay. Lots of stuff happening and I had to write this mostly on phone. I do appologize for any typos I tried to proof read as much as I could on the small screen.
