Royeaux Tidings

Despite the lovely weather in the summer bazaar and the pleasant chatter of city life reminding me of my home in Kirkwall, Val Royeaux was not going well.

The chantry is still trying to denounce our order saying I am a false prophet, and the Templars want nothing to do with us.

The Lord seeker Lucius seemed crazed and Cassandra tells me that this is out of character even for him.

Only positive notes are the recent addition of a Madame de Fer to our ranks; she is very showy for freezing a denouncer right in front of me at her own soiree, and a merchant who was quite eager to help anyone actually trying to do something about the breach.

The mages had told me to come to Redcliffe in the hinterlands if I wanted their help with giving my mark enough power to seal the breach.

It was worth a try, Since they were willing to talk, unlike the lord seeker.

I was nursing my woes over a glass of what these people called some pretentious name, I just called it wine. Varric was trying to counsel me in-between all the nobles coming up to him asking for signatures. He shuffled back to his seat "My editor told me that my books didn't sell that well in Orlais."

I chuckled "And yet every person in Orlais wants you to sign their copy? I would talk with my editor."

It was right at that moment that an arrow struck right next to me on the table. "Right, that doesn't seem ominous" Varric commented as I took off the note that was attached by a piece of red yarn. The letter enclosed had doodles all along the edges as well as poorly drawn map of the back quarter of Val Royeaux.

Dear Herald:

I heard from my people that you're special.

I want to help, and I can bring everyone.

Some baddie has it up his arse end to take you out of the picture.

Meet us here and maybe you'll meet him first.

Bring swords.

Friends of Red Jenny

Varric looked at me after we finished the letter. "Could be a trap?" he said. "I doubt it's a trap Varric I mean they used crayon. I just got to figure out where this is in the back quarter." I squinted to find some landmark. "If anything Varric they might put your writing to shame it is quite colorful," I smirked

"Quips, you wound me," he shifted off the chair that was bit too high for him.

"Let's just see what these friends of red jenny want." I smiled as we walked off to the back end of the city.


We finally found the location on the map.

It was some dark alley behind one of the Comte de Rainier's estates. There was no sight of our contact except for 3 men who attacked us on sight.

Varric and I made quick work of them; they didn't exactly seem to be prepared for our presence.

I am happy I told the others to stay back at our encampment outside the city; this was going to be a cake walk.

Cassandra didn't like my saying it's a rogue's only thing. Let's face it the last thing we need is a "seeker" at these events. Or a pomp mage either thinking back to Madame de Fer; Vivienne.
Yeah, she will never mix, but she wanted to help just like these friends of red jenny.

I ran past what looked like new additions to the Comte's estate; must look into that I thought he was destitute with a fool son for an heir; need to look into that.

There was some correspondence at the back of the alley. Most of it was blotted out from the wine spilled during the scuffle only thing legible were Orval Rainier and she will pay.

Varric looked at me "Hey isn't he the guy you told me about with the grand tourney."

It came to me Rainier's son was one of those small prank jobs I pulled outside of Kirkwall, made it such as his breeches would fall down during the grand tourney. He had laid with one of the serving girls and then tried to have her killed for it. Thankfully I was passing through, she is now living happily in Kirkwall with her baby twins and a funny story to tell.

"Seems so this explains this guy wants to kill me but why here at his father's estate in Orlais?"

Varric shrugged "Trying to use your death in the game? I don't know I just write the stories."

I opened the door to the outer courtyard only to be greeted with a fireball firing off to my right. I ducked the second one.

Ah, it's the son of course, and he is still as pompous as ever the way he started going on how this must have wounded the inquisition terribly. Sad thing really, since I don't even think Josie knows who he is.

"Honestly I don't know who you are," I said to him

"You don't fool me, I am too important for this to be an accident."

There is going to be an accident alright

"My efforts will survive in victories against you elsewhere."

I heard the sound of a man being taken out and looked over at one of his guards.

The guard fell showing a lithe blond elf with a terrible bowl haircut.

She pulled on her bow string "Just say What."

"What is the...?" Reiner tried to say before an arrow went into his face.

"Ugh" she walked over to Reiner's dead body, looked at me.

"Squishy one but you heard me right? Just say what. Rich tits always try for more than they deserve"

She pulled out her arrow "Blah. Blah. Blah. Obey me arrow in my face." looked at her arrow and smiled. She turned to me again "so you followed the note well enough, and glad to see your just.. plain really, all that talk and you're just a person. I mean it's all good in't it, the important thing is you glow you're the herald thingy."

"Yes. Alright, I glow. You want to tell me what this is all about then?"

"I don't know, I don't know this tit from manners. My people just said the inquisition would want to look into him."

"So your people?"

"No time for that, Name's Sera. This is cover, get around it. For the reinforcements. Don't worry someone tipped me to their equipment shed. They got no breeches." she smiled impishly.

Ok, that's funny I thought as I saw the reinforcements.

And true to her word no breeches.

She called them a bunch of nutters.

I guess if he came down without breeches, they can go out without breeches.

Most of the time Sera aimed for the funniest of places like the guy's bits most of the time.

Varric just couldn't stop laughing even while we took out the last contender.

I took what I could from their remains and Sera, Varric and I moved to the shadowed gate at the back of the secluded lot.

"Friends really came through with that tip. No Breeches." she giggled

"So Herald of andraste, you're a strange one I'd like to join," Sera said as she turned to me.

"How about we get to know each other first you know names and such?" since she hadn't answered my question before.

"One name no wait two, no it's like this I belong to this group the friends of red jenny, well that's me. Well, I am one, so is a fence in Momteford, some woman in Kirkwall, there were three in Starkhaven. Brothers or somethin'. It's just a name yeah? It lets little people, 'friends' be part of something while the stick it to nobles they hate." She tripped over the words. "So here in your face I'm Sera the friends of red jenny are sort of out there. I used them to help you, Plus Arrows" she smiled with gusto.

I smiled back "I can get behind that Sera."

"So do you need people or not? Cause I want to get everything back to normal. Like you." She asked.

"Sure Sera I can use you and your friends. Never know maybe we can kick it to some nobs while we're out." I grinned as I started forward.

"Yes! Get in good before you are too big to like yeah? That will keep your breeches where they should be. Plus extra breeches cause I have all these... you have merchants who buy that pish yeah? Got to be worth somethin'." She started to follow, carrying a big burlap sack.

"Yeah Sera," I said, opening the gate

"Seggrit will buy anything he can put a price on, even breeches" we both sniggered

"This will be grand yeah?" she said as we all walked off to the main thoroughfare with the largest bag of breeches... ever.


I was happy Harrit let me use one of his grindstones. When I had asked he wanted to know what I needed to be made, but it wasn't that I needed something made but that I needed to make something. Thankfully he understood my habit and now here I was with my knife blanks and a grindstone, almost like I was back in Kirkwall. all I needed was a target and I would be good to go.

of course, my knife-making was not the only thing keeping my mind busy for most of the morning I had been watching Cullen working with the new recruits. he was just as splendid as he was when I watched him train in Kirkwall. I was hoping to get a moment to a talk to him since the war room meeting the other night after we returned from Orlias. He was so focused on something last night that he had almost forgotten to get approval for the new training space for the recruits. I finished the last blank and got up.
"Thanks for this Harrit, making something always helps clear the mind." I brushed myself off as his mustache twitched "not a problem herald, I find it also helps keep my neck safer." smiling I laughed "that's true too, I'll see you later Harrit."
i slowly made my way down to the trainees, they had terrible form but showed promise. A few weeks work and they may not be that bad. Cullen's voice sounded over all the ringing and clattering of swords and shields, "you there! there is a shield in your hand Block with it. if this man were your enemy, you would be dead." his eyes met mine as I gave him a soft wave his momentary smile made my cheeks warm; sheesh I am blushing like a new handmaid. he looked back at his lieutenant, "Lieutenant, don't hold back. the recruits must prepare for a real fight, not a practice one." a "yes, ser" rang out as he walked over to me. "as you can see, we have received a number of recruits - locals from Haven and some pilgrims" he smiled as he reached my side "But none have made Quite the entrance you did."
"at least I got everyone's attention" like his.
"that you did," he paused and rubbed the back of his head, he felt as awkward as I did. "Where did you go Cullen? I tried to see you after that night and they told me you left."
"the inquisition recruited me out of Kirkwall. Cassandra, she offered me a position, so I left to join her cause." he sighed trying not to meet my eyes.
"ah, well, your old comrades don't seem to be too big on giving out stuff like that out then. I was worried you were captured by some rebel mage group or something and the crew and I were going to have to go and rescue our favorite templar."
he chuckled, "yes well now it seems we face something far worse."
"the conclave destroyed, a giant hole in the sky. hmm yeah, things are not looking good."

"which is exactly why we are needed. the chantry lost control of both templars and mages. Now they argue over a new divine while The Breach remains. the inquisition could act when the chantry cannot. our followers would be part of that. there's so much we can..." he paused a moment and shook his head, " forgive me, I doubt you came here for a lecture."
he must still think well of me if he needs to defend his choice, "No, but if you have one prepared I'd love to hear it."
"another time perhaps." he chuckled and I flashed him a smile, "I, ah..." he cleared his throat I was making him nervous? maybe there might be something... "there's still a lot of work ahead." he said as a scout broke in "Commander! Ser Rylen has a report on our supply lines."
he made a small bow as he gave me a knowing grin "as I was saying" and he strode off as the scout gave him the report. I had wished for more time but I guess today was not that day.