"Can't we take a break?" John almost begged as he closed another elven tome and threw it atop a pile of books immediately in front of him. "My back hurts." He said, raising to his feet and stretching his muscles.
From besides him, Morrigan merely scoffed while camly flipping a page from the book she was reading, never taking her eyes from it. "May I remind you, Inquisitor, that we are doing this at your own request. 'Please Morrigan, help me understand these powers that I now carry.' You said something like that, did you not?" She mocked him and the tone she used while mimicking his words reminded him of a craving child.
'That must be an accurate depiction of me.' He pondered, slightly amused.
Soon afterwards, the warrior sighed, content just to pace aimlessly, examining the environment surrounding them.
They were at "The Crossroads", or at least that is how she called it, the mysterious nexus beyond the Eluvian, and there, amidst foggy elven ruins, they decided to commence their studies about the powers received from the Well of Sorrows.
Time passed slower there, he was almost sure of it. How long has it been since their arrival? The young man could only speculate while gazing at the portal they've entered. The true name and purpose of that place, long lost.
Every now and then, he could hear some indistinct whispers, no doubt explaining unknown things to him, but he still was not able to properly understand it, hence the training he was undertaking with her.
Frankly, that place both amazed him and gave him the creeps and the young man was seriously considering changing his training ground.
"Something troubles you?" The witch of the wilds questioned, making him turn to her.
She was now looking straight at him and he wondered for how long she watched his thoughtful walking. "I can't really put my finger on it, something here brings a lot of uneasiness to me. The voices seem… Louder." He explained, bearing a pensive expression.
The apostate finally stood up, walking towards him, her purple robes swinging effortlessly with every step. "I was hoping for that." She started, checking everything around them. "This place is the apex of elven magic, 'tis only natural that you would react to it accordingly."
"Yeah, I can definitely understand your reasoning, still, it is quite disturbing." He added.
"I'm sure of it, but 'tis necessary, the progress we've made, is promising." Morrigan replied, already in front of him.
Trevelyan snorted. "From incoherent words to barely discernible ones, great." His voice filled with sarcasm.
"Slow progress, yes, but progress nonetheless." She retorted quickly, probably trying to encourage him.
It was rather fascinating how devoted she was getting with those sessions they held. Almost a month later and the rhythm was as intense as ever. She was right, the improvements were there, he was being too pessimist about it. However, some of the rambling he was able to comprehend contradicted greatly what he was currently reading about, it was giving him quite the headache.
On the bright side, the ability to read elven texts and control a dragon was useful, to say the least.
Suddenly a surge of pain rushed through his body, as shouts echoed inside his mind.
The Free Marcher dropped to his knees, eyes tightly closed and holding his head as if it could bring some relief to him.
It was getting louder and louder when he felt a soft hand over his shoulder, instantly easing the pain.
He opened a single eye and saw the mage crouched right next to him, her face was of sheer concern as she instructed him. "You are hearing it, right? Remember what I told you, focus on one at a time, and keep calm."
John exhaled deeply, before following her instructions, trying to listen to the clearest voice and ignoring the rest. 'Mythal.' A whisper stood out and he winced with the effort. 'Fen'Harel.' Another one.
His eyes widened as he narrated what he was able to comprehend. "Something happened to Mythal."
That seemed to change Morrigan, her cool composure immediately switching to affliction. He never saw how fast her other hand reached his other shoulder, it was a blur, but he felt quite well how she began to rock his torso back and forward. "What happened?" She demanded and once more, he shut his eyelids.
"I can't really understand, it is something about Fen'Harel." He explained while the pain increased. The Inquisitor was aware of the Dread Wolf, but what really intrigued him was how it would be involved with Flemeth.
The pain was closing to the unbearable when he finally gave up on hearing, he freed himself from her rather firm grasp and began stumbling backwards, clinging to his head as if to prevent his brain from exploding.
It started to fade away, for his great happiness. Slowly he reopened his eyes and recovered his breath, the physical strain he just went through reminding him of a combat session with the Iron Bull.
Eyeing the floor was the only thing he could do for a while, his hands trembling over it and his fingers trying to dig deep into stone and dirt. John was never one to enjoy pain.
One final sigh of relief, and he rose to his feet, dusting himself up in the meantime.
The warrior then commenced looking for his newest companion. It was not long until he found her. A twist of his head and he spotted her behind him, examining his every move while bearing a sad expression and pursing her lips.
She seemed distressed.
'Could it be that she worries about me?' He wondered while turning his body towards the apostate.
"This was refreshing." He joked, pinching the bridge of his nose to suppress the imminent headache.
Trevelyan was about to dismiss any need for concern, but the apostate beat him to it. "I apologize." She said, gazing at the ground.
He furrowed his brow, what was she apologizing for?
Soon afterwards, she cleared things up for him. "I allowed my emotions to get the best of me, I will not let it happen again."
"No need for apologies, nor to worry about me, I'm a big boy you know." The nobleman stated, smiling broadly.
She snorted with his words, crossing her arms over her chest in a defying manner. "Do not be mistaken, my lord, I do not hold any concern for your well-being."
"Hum… that hurts quite a lot." He retorted with a droopy body, her words hammering his male pride.
"I would not expect anything less from me, if I were you." Morrigan complemented, but he could practically swear that deep, deep, deep inside there was a hint of worry in those yellow eyes.
That uncommon color always attracted him. Those orbs were a mixture of mystery and temptation, close to the thin border between intoxicating and exhilarating. Sometimes he wanted nothing but drown in that golden sea, but sometimes, he could not help but fear them.
The Inquisitor shook his head to clear up his mind, making her raise a single eyebrow, quizzically. "Perhaps we should return to Skyhold, we've been here long enough." She reasoned and he struggled to keep himself from jumping of joy. Nothing better than to return to his castle and relax a bit.
"Oh please, let's go." He replied immediately, earning a small smile from the mage, no doubt amused with his eagerness.
The bizarre vortex of energy that wrapped his body whenever crossing the Eluvian was quickly replaced by the cold mountain's atmosphere.
John exhaled and was immediately glad to see the condensation of his breath.
'Home.' He thought while closing his eyes and relishing the sensations overwhelming his body.
Another thing that disturbed him about "The Crossroads" was the total absence of any kind of physical feeling, absolutely no sound, complete stillness and if not for the ruins and fog at that place, it would be no different from a big void.
The warrior spared one more glance towards the magic mirror, a question immediately popping inside his mind.
"How were you planning to get this thing out of here? I don't even understand how you brought it here in the first place." He asked, obviously due to its massive size, the possibilities flashing inside his head, many of them quite comical.
"Not on my shoulders, I can guarantee." The witch of the wilds answered curtly, likely reading his mind.
He snorted. "But really, how do you intended to move it?"
She pretended to ignore him, heading for the exit of the room, into the gardens. Soon he followed her. The young man did not inquired any further. However, the fixed gaze he maintained on her was enough proof that his curiosity was still there.
After a couple of uncomfortable steps, Morrigan finally succumbed. She halted her quick pace, sighing quite heavily. "Fine. I had not taken the time to ponder about that." She explained, her voice filled with annoyance. "That does not matter anymore, at least for now, so forget about it."
Hearty laughter filled the room, though only his.
The impatient mage pouted. "'Twould seem that you find my lack of forethought enjoyable."
After a few more chuckles, he wiped a single tear that appeared on the corner of his eyes. "I'm sorry, it just that you looked so eager in leaving that night, it's funny to know you actually didn't think about your precious Eluvian."
"I'm starting to reconsider leaving." She complemented, resuming her walk towards the yard and he quickly abandoned his carefree composure.
"I'm sorry." Trevelyan apologized once more while following her. "Just so you know, I would gladly help you with the transport if you asked." He whispered to her ear.
"You and this obsession of helping others…" The apostate mumbled, paying no mind to his offer or his proximity. "You waste your power with such foolish antics. 'Tis appealing for the commoners' eyes, but it also makes you look weak. You should stop it."
He wondered how he could reply to that harsh speech, in fact, the warrior could not find the right words. Therefore, he merely smiled. Her skepticism was quite captivating.
The silence that followed apparently disturbed her, because she suddenly stopped and began looking at him intently. "Are you not going to say anything? And what's with this weird smile of yours." She asked.
This time, he was the one pretending to ignore a question, as he walked past her and entered the garden. It was already night, they have spent almost the entire noon training.
"Don't ignore me!" She ordered after catching up to him, clearly frustrated.
"I'm not!" The Free Marcher spoke while turning to her. "I honestly don't know what you want me to say. I feel that I must help, regardless of rewards or appearances. I have the power and resources to do so, why not then. Besides, you are not just anyone."
Morrigan allowed a small smile to appear on her face. "I see that the tales of your friendliness and goodwill are not exaggerated."
"Are you complementing me?" He questioned, attempting to tease her.
"If you consider those attributes a positive thing, then yes." She remarked dubiously, now John was not sure if she meant those words as a praise or just pure mockery.
His doubt was only momentary though, as an Inquisition's soldier approached the duo and disrupted his previous line of thought.
"Your worship, the council request you presence at the war room, immediately." He relayed his message, bowing a bit too much.
The Inquisitor nodded to him, and soon the messenger was gone.
"Your duties await, my lord, we shall speak again soon." The shapeshifter stated, already with her back to him, as she left him alone in the center of the garden, not even allowing for a good bye.
He shrugged his shoulders, and went towards the main hall, whatever it was, it should be important enough to call for a night meeting.
One of his favorite things about being the Inquisitor was surely the "barging into the war room" scene, it was a complete must whenever his advisors summoned him.
It is safe to say that he did it again this time around.
Trevelyan kicked the door wide open with a loud bang, unfortunately, the trio inside the room was already accustomed with this habit of his. No surprised gasps or screams. It did not matter for him, the first time he had done that the reactions were epic.
"Josephine, Leliana, Cullen." He greeted them while taking his usual spot and each one nodded after hearing their respective names. "Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong, my lord, we have just received news from a discovery that might be of your interest." The spymaster explained, handling him a parchment.
The letter was a curt one, but its contents were of unprecedented size. "So, this Professor Kenric stumbled into something important there, hum?"
"The University of Orlais has vouched for him. If he says there is something worthwhile in Frostback Basin, we should investigate." Montilyet added and he instantly agreed with her.
He went through the letter once more, before eyeing the other two advisors. "What do you think?"
The commander instinctively went to grab the grip of his sword, tightly secured to his waist, a customary routine for him, before giving his opinion on the matter. "The possibilities of learning more about Inquisitor Ameridam after 800 years are unparalleled, your worship. I believe we should send an expedition."
"I agree, the artifacts and equipment we could gather can be of great use and value. Apart from it, I think we all are interested in knowing more about your predecessor." Leliana complemented, the last word accompanied by a light chuckle.
"Very well, let's arrange a scouting mission to investigate this Basin, I will oversee it personally after a camp is established." John stated, eyeing its location on the massive map atop the war table. "I can't wait to get back on the field again."
Life at Skyhold was great, but also quite dull, especially for a warrior like him, who was taught to fight since a very young age. He craved for action, and the timing of that journey could not be better.
Soon afterwards, another thing drew his attention at the map, this one further north. Giving him an idea. "But first I have to get some special supplies, and I happen to know just the right place for it." He explained, smirking. "I will head to Frostback Basin afterwards."
"It is set then, we will commence preparations for the expedition in the morrow, you will meet up with them after your trip north." The former Templar stated the plan and the session was terminated.
One by one, his advisors left the room, yet Trevelyan lingered behind, examining the map. He sought support on the table, placing both palms over it.
It was a marvelous sight for him. All the keeps, all the camps, all the running operations. They have built something amazing and he was proud of it. He would surely do everything in his power to maintain it attached to a good cause.
Yet he could not stand being anchored to a political role, with no activity. Contradictions, contradictions.
Memories of a night long ago flooded his mind, as he recalled Morrigan's grim words. 'This piece you fought so hard to achieve will be short-lived.'
He scoffed, before finding some determination within her warning. "Not on my watch." The young man said audaciously.
At last, he exited the room. Seeking the companions he intended to take for this new adventure.
"First one, Varric." He mumbled, knowing exactly where the dwarf would be.
Varric, Dorian and Cole. The party was almost complete, save from one new mage, and Trevelyan already knew where to look first.
Some may ponder why make a garden one's working place. Still, he always found suiting for her, wild and untamed, natural and intriguing. Therefore, the Free Marcher granted her full control of that part of the castle, the things she grew there were somewhat grotesque, but mostly useful. He lost count of how many ointments and potions groomed there he used.
However, he could never understand why keep working even after nightfall, for all he knew, plants did not worked without sun light.
For the second time that day he shrugged his shoulders, choosing to forget about any unnecessary speculations, the young man was starting to do that quite a lot, especially with subjects regarding the mysterious witch of the wilds.
Entering the yard he took the time to examine the place, for the first time since her take over actually, John was always so eager with the training part that he easily forgot about his surroundings. She was doing quite a work there.
Dozens of vases growing various herbs and flowers, stands and greenhouses filled with vials and flask, all carrying the most colorful contents he ever saw.
The nobleman spotted her deep inside a small greenhouse, seated in front of a table. She was surrounded by mountains of books and clearly engrossed in a work he could only imagine the purpose. A small lamp was the sole light the mage had.
"Do you ever stop?" He inquired while supporting himself on a nearby tree and crossing his arms over his chest.
She looked sideways to him, for a second it seemed an extremely bothered look, but her expression changed slightly when she saw whom the unwelcomed visitor was. "I do not really appreciate laying around, doing naught." Morrigan explained, twisting her body to face him properly.
"Then it's hard to believe how someone like you would thrive on the Orlesian court." The young man retorted, instantly remembering the dress she wore on the winter palace. Beautiful.
"No challenge at all. The worst part is surely enduring the fools that inhabit it. The laws of courtesy are so inconvenient: do not set fire to this chevalier, do not encase that baroness in a block of ice... How are we supposed to get through the day?" She commented playfully, making him laugh.
"I have no idea." He replied also comically. "Anyway, I guess your activities here will have to be postponed, as our training."
The apostate narrowed her eyes, trying to figure the reasons for that. "I assume you are going away?" She questioned, returning her focus to a full flask of rock armor tonic, his favorite.
"And it is my intention to take you with me." Trevelyan complemented, and even though she was not facing him, he could easily notice a smile adorning her face.
"Where to, my lord?" The exotic woman asked while getting up and walking towards him.
"Frostback Basin, It is near the Korcari Wilds, you must be familiar with it." He reasoned, eyeing her attentively.
Lastly, she stopped, a few feet from him. "Indeed, I've heard of the place, but never went there." She paused for a moment. "Fine, I'll be ready."
"We leave tomorrow." The warrior said, abandoning his prior position. He was about to leave the garden, when he remembered something. "Ah, almost forgot. We are going to the Free Marches first."
She tilted her head, showing hints of puzzlement. "Do you intend to say hello to your family?"
He snorted with her question. "Not really, just need some supplies."
"But why so far of our destination?" Morrigan asked, her confusion increasing.
"I have one especial shop in mind, this one I'm pretty sure you've never heard of." His last statement clearly wounded her ego, it was his intention after all, he genuinely wanted to see her reaction and he was not disappointed.
"I would like to know what this marvelous and imaginative shop of yours is, if it even exists." It almost sounded like a demand, her patience waving ever so slightly.
Now John was amused, he flashed a victorious grin while turning towards the exit, but not before saying one last taunt. "You will know when I deem fit."
He could have sworn that he felt daggers digging into his back afterwards. The young man then coughed to hide an escaping chuckle and left.
A/N: I've made an extra effort to upload this before my trip. Now we have the main setting of this story! I've recently played Jaws of Hakkon, it was awesome and the first thing that popped inside my mind was: "This place would be perfect to go with Morrigan." And about the whole voices from the Well of Sorrows, I figure that whoever drank from the well would feel what happened after the epilogue, I'm also considering writting more about it in the future, I'm not sure yet. Anyway, hope you like it and see you soon!