"Riders approaching!"
The clanging of swords on shields from the troops settled with the Commander's booming shout. Dane followed Cullen's outstretched finger with his eyes. Cassandra was leading a small party thundering through the mountain pass, reigns attached to her chestnut stallion firm in hand. Vivienne rode to her left, looking composed despite the dirt and snowfall kicked up around her. He looked from the two familiar women. The new companion was a dark-haired man with a thick beard that stretched halfway down his chest. His eyes were small and dark and he looked rather uncomfortable.
'A prisoner, perhaps?' Dane wondered, crossing his arms and stepping forward. He hoped he hadn't perked up too noticeably with the new arrivals.
The trio reached Cullen and himself in but a moment. Vivienne did not even bother to send a condescending glance his way, trotting straight past him to the stables. Cassandra glared down from her horse, looking first to Cullen.
"Commander. New recruits are behind us. Many who the Inquisition helped at the Crossroads have pledged their allegiance."
Cullen nodded to the Seeker, his brow furrowing. 'Weapons, uniforms, training. The poor man doesn't get a break.' Dane could almost hear the gears whirring in Cullen's head.
"This is Warden Blackwall," Cassandra announced to no-one in particular. Dane exchanged a look with the raven-haired man, both of them nodding cordially.
"There is much to discuss. We will join you in the war room shortly."
Cassandra and Blackwall continued the last stretch to the stables at a steady canter. Cullen cleared his throat from beside him, trying to lure Dane's wistful gaze from the Seeker's back. The fair haired man gestured towards the stone steps into the heart of the village. Dane noticed Cassandra hadn't addressed him directly. 'Still angry about the mages, I suspect' he thought with a sigh.
Dane looked over the scattered figures lining the map atop the war table as he waited. Messengers and ravens flocked to the Inquisition every day, each bearing a plea or request of some kind. He glanced up, spying Josephine scribbling away on her ever-present parchment board. Leliana and Cullen stood quietly to his left. Cullen with his hands wrapped around the hilt of his sword and Leliana reading a small furl of vellum. 'Two heroes from the Fifth Blight and a diplomat with a list of academic achievements taller than me. No pressure.' He thought with a hint of exasperation.
The heavy door into the room swung open with a groan from its hinges. Cassandra and the new Warden strode in. 'She looks tired.' Dane thought, frowning as he examined the Seeker's face with his usual lack of subtlety. Small dark circles purpled the skin below Cassandra's eyes and her mouth was pulled in a taut line. Blackwall's face was carefully neutral.
"Leliana, Josephine. This is Warden Blackwall. He has offered to join the Inquisition." Blackwall folded at the waist, giving a pertinent bow to the two women and offering a burly handshake to the Commander.
"Welcome, Warden Blackwall. We are honoured to have a man of such an esteemed order with us." Josephine said with a charismatic smile. 'Diplomatic as always.' Dane mused, watching the exchange with folded arms.
"Thank you, Lady Ambassador. However I'm afraid I do not bring good news. I know as little of the Warden's disappearance as you lot."
Leliana stepped forward at that, pocketing the vellum into an unknown crevice of her robe. 'Where in the world did she put that?' Dane wondered, baffled at the paper's disappearance in front of his very eyes.
"How can this be?" She asked, her tone questioning. Dane felt a slight shiver roll down his spine; knowing the feeling of being fixed under the Spymaster's icy gaze.
"I.. I travelled alone. Recruiting mostly. I go months without seeing other Wardens. No need to keep in contact really, with no Blight about."
"Surely other Warden's also travelled alone. Yet, you have not disappeared like the rest." Dane said, turning his gaze to the man. He felt his brows knit close in confusion.
Blackwall was clearly nervous at the questions, crossing his arms and staring towards the floor rather than anyone else. Dane exchanged a sideways glance with Leliana. 'If I've noticed it, she definitely has. There's something not right here..'
"It's certainly a serious situation, but I imagine Warden Blackwall did not agree to join us just to be interrogated. Let us continue this later." Josephine interjected amiably, a soothing tone in her accent. Blackwall gave a hesitant ghost of a smile and bowed once more, quickly taking his leave.
"He said as much when Vivienne and I first spoke to him. You were right, Leliana. It seems something is amiss." Cassandra spoke quietly after Blackwall had left the Chantry, the low tones of her voice warm in Dane's ears. Leliana nodded thoughtfully, staring at the brass figure of a raven on the table.
"There is one more option," She said slowly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. "I can attempt to contact the Hero of Fereldan. He has been away from these lands for some time, but he should still receive a letter if it is from me."
Dane bit the inside of his cheek, trying to recall all that he knew about the living hero. There had been a few volumes hastily published and shipped to the Ostwick circle of the man's entire life. A man famous for ending the Fifth Blight, and living to tell the tale to boot – a feat no other Warden had ever accomplished. He had only had the one chance to read the fantastic adventures before the Templars 'borrowed' the sought after material.
"What say you, Herald? Do we send word to him?" Cullen queried, his voice patient.
Dane looked around the room, realising all eyes were on him.
"Do you think he could truly know from across the Western seas?"
"It seems unlikely. But he is still Warden Commander, and he has responded to my letters in the past. Only recently has he stopped.." Leliana trailed off in her reply, seemingly putting two and two together.
"I hope this disappearance has not taken him also." She finished, her expression now one of worry. Dane felt his mouth twist in sympathy.
"Then I say we contact him. He may not be able to help from such a distance but it is worth a try."
The three advisors all nodded, each then making their way out of the war room. Cassandra stayed behind and turned to face Dane, her face even more weary than before.
"Are you alright, Cassandra? You look exhausted."
She met Dane's worried gaze, frowning at the strange look in his eyes.
"Yes, I am fine," She countered with a dismissive wave of her ever-gloved hand. "I thought the others would have remained. We need to discuss finally closing the Breach."
Dane felt a swell of anxiety move up his chest.
"Ah. That old chestnut."
Cassandra rolled her eyes and turned to the table once more. She placed each hand along the edge of the aged wood, surveying the small ink stained mark that was Haven.
"Have the mages continued training in my absence?" She asked, keeping her eyes fixed on the map. Dane smirked to himself, recalling the scramble of young initiates when he had displayed his own particular brand of magic.
"Of course. I actually assisted with some of the practice. Dorian did most of the real commanding, if I'm honest." He said, moving to stand next to the Seeker. "We'll have a horde of wickedly sharp tongues at our disposal, and they'll be very pretty too."
Dane couldn't help but grin in delight when Cassandra gave her trademark sigh of disgust. A few moments passed as she studied the map, and he studied her. He watched as she suddenly straightened, turning to face him once more.
"I have a question."
"Just the one?" Dane retorted, finding himself a mixture of terrified and ravenously curious.
"Why did you hug me at Redcliffe?"
Dane swallowed, hastily looking away and ignoring the heat creeping up his neck. 'Right. Well, the thing is Cassandra.. I'm kind of, maybe, perhaps, absolutely infatuated with you.'
"I.. well, I was just happy to see you. I mean- not that I'm not normally happy to see you, it's just.."
Cassandra cocked an eyebrow as Dane rambled, looking everywhere but her own eyes.
"I see. You still have not spoken of what you and the Tevinter witnessed in that future."
Her words stopped the embarrassment flooding his body dead in its tracks. Dane fixed his eyes on her wrist, hanging at her side. 'Bones sticking out from her skin, no more than a skeleton covered in flesh. Thick black blood leaking from her mouth, her eyes white and unfocused. A slit from the Venatori's knife carved into her neck-'. He screwed his eyes shut as tight as he could, bringing his palms to his head and pressing roughly against his temples.
"Trevelyan?" Cassandra's hand was tentative on his arm. She grasped the tense muscles there, shaking him slightly. Dane let a deep breath escape his lungs. He opened his eyes and let his hands drop, meeting her bemused gaze.
"It's better if I avoid that subject entirely. Good evening, Cassandra."
She watched, open-mouthed in confusion, as Dane stepped away and out into the hall. He nearly jogged to the main doors, slipping out of them with one last sorry glance over his shoulder.
"So did you and the Seeker kiss and make up?"
Dane nearly choked on his stew, swallowing heavily. He rubbed his throat as he glared at Varric, feeling the hearty broth burn all the way down. The dwarf grinned unapologetically, polishing off the remains of his own meal.
"Ha-ha," Dane grumbled, taking a much more careful sip of his dinner.
It was a simple spread of mutton stew with some bread and cheese, yet he found himself relishing every bite. The tavern where he and Varric ate was fairly empty, with many of the usual patrons resting under Cullen's orders. Every able bodied man was to help with the final assault on the Breach, in some form or other.
"You know, reacting like that really gives you away." Varric stated between mouthfuls.
"Is it really that obvious?"
"It really is. You're like a puppy dog. It's sickening."
Dane huffed and leaned back into his chair, quickly losing his appetite. He pushed his half-eaten stew further onto the table. Varric let out his familiar gravelly chuckle, packing away a few more spoonfuls. Dane groaned and brought a hand to his forehead, feeling embarrassed, yet relieved. 'Maybe I can ask his advice..' Varric smiled as Dane looked at him, understanding the unspoken request.
"Personally, I think you're crazy. The only sign of a heart under that armour of hers that I've seen is the one that pumps boiling rage around her body."
Dane let out a snicker, having heard the story of Varric's interrogation under Cassandra's hands many a time.
"It's ridiculous, I know. I don't know what it is about her-"
"Maybe because she's the first woman you saw outside the Circle? Because she rescued your sorry ass from the Breach? Because she protects you? Just a couple options there." Varric interrupted, his voice rising with each reason. Dane frowned, realising his friend was making sense. 'Maybe it is just a crush. I'm not exactly experienced.'
"It happens to everyone. You just gotta get some distance." Varric said with a shrug, pausing to grab his mug and take a deep swig of ale.
"And how am I supposed to do that? She's my advisor, she's part of the group, and she's my friend." Dane scoffed. Varric shook his head and pointed a finger, setting his mug down with a clatter.
"Is she really your friend? Think about it."
"What about all the times she helped me in battle? Gave advice? If it wasn't for her I'd have probably died!" Dane scowled.
"That's the protector part."
"She doesn't seem to mind when I talk to her. She even smiles sometimes."
"Why, that's quite the achievement, but think of what you just said. 'She doesn't mind'?"
Dane blinked. 'Maker.. He's right. I wonder how I must seem to her. Some pest constantly staring and cracking lame jokes.' He folded his arms and looked to Varric once more.
"Distance, you say?"
"Leagues of it." Varric replied sagely, breaking off a chunk of sourdough. As if to test the dwarf's words, the door to the tavern swung open and Cassandra strode in. Dane quickly snapped his head to the table and reached for his stew, shovelling the food into his mouth with gusto. He struggled not to look up as he heard her approach.
"Varric." She greeted with the slightest hint of disdain.
"Evening, Seeker. I wouldn't have picked you as a drinker." Varric responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Cassandra huffed and looked to the shock of dark hair that was Dane's head; thoroughly buried in his bowl.
"I do not drink. I am simply here to collect my.. food.." She faltered slightly as Dane finished his stew and promptly grabbed his ale, staring straight past her.
"I feel so enlightened. Thank you, Cassandra."
She huffed once more at Varric and paused a moment. He felt her eyes on his face. 'Is she waiting for me to say something? What do I do.. Distance, distance..' Dane thought rapidly as he chugged the final dregs of his ale. He slammed his mug down with a bang, making both Varric and Cassandra jump at the suddenness.
"Well, thanks Varric." Dane said with a nod, studiously avoiding Cassandra at all costs. He made his exit, taking a wide berth around the Seeker as if she were contagious and rushing out the door.
Cassandra glanced at Varric in utter confusion. The dwarf shook his head in amusement and pushed off his chair, taking a few coins from his pocket and placing them on the worn table.
"What was that about?" She asked, her left eyebrow arched.
"Our Circle mage is learning about the world."
Cassandra pondered the dwarf's cryptic statement long after the man had followed Dane's footsteps out the door and into the frozen hamlet.
[A.N] Sorry for the long delay everyone! Unfortunately updates will be a bit slower from now on as I have university to contend with, but I hope you all continue to stick with the story. Thank you very much for all your favs, follows, reads and reviews. [/A.N]