III. Shadow Play
Kali had never before been willingly taken into the Beyond. It was true that she had been there many times before—Ashara often said that anytime someone dreamed, their soul went to the Beyond—but this time was different from anything Kali had ever experienced before. For one, she had never been conscious when taken; for another, she certainly couldn't remember the feel of the Veil.
It was such a strange sensation; she found herself wondering if mages always felt like this when they traveled to the Beyond. If so, she had a much bigger respect for their fortitude, because it was very uncomfortable to feel yourself lift out of your body. All Ashara had done was pour a few bottles of lyrium into a giant bowl, start whispering words that Kali didn't understand and, the next thing Kali knew, her skin started itching and tingling. She suddenly felt weightless, like she could fly if she wanted to, but she could feel herself almost floating away.
Then, in the blink of an eye—during which Kali was almost positive she felt something pulling at her—both women were standing in a thick, dark forest. Kali wasn't able to recognize different trees like Ashara could—they all looked the same to her—but something told her that they were in the place Sylaise had called them to. She felt warmth swirl around her, like her very bones were being wrapped in a warm cloth. This place felt peaceful.
But, that didn't make her feel as comfortable as it probably should have. She glanced nervously at Ashara, who was standing beside her, looking around the area. "Um, Asha? Are you... sure that this is a good idea? I mean, what if Sylaise doesn't want us here?" Kali didn't pretend to know much about the personalities of the Creators. She knew their stories and teachings well enough—Ashara had made sure of that—so she knew that Sylaise was renowned for her sweetness and patience. In fact, Kali had never heard of a single story where Sylaise grew angry.
However, she was still a Creator, with power beyond anything Kali could imagine. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to storm into her home and demand answers? What if she got angry with them? Kali didn't know how someone was supposed to talk to a Creator. What if Sylaise took offense to something they said?
In addition to all this worry, Kali was still battling her astonishment that the Creators were even real. For her entire life, before she became a Grey Warden, she had believed in the Maker, a silent god who had turned his back on his people. But, then Ashara had started talking about the Creators, and Kali had wanted to learn more about the gods of her ancestors. Though she had never really expected them to be real!
During the Blight, when Ashara had sworn that she had spoken to Sylaise in a dream, Kali hadn't really given it that much thought. Even when Kali had been accepted into Ashara's Clan, when she had gone through the formal ceremony and got the vallaslin on her shoulder, she had thought it was all symbolic. She had never thought that marking herself as a member of the Dalish would one day lead her to seeking out Sylaise in the Beyond.
Obviously, she was wrong about all of that, which made her nervous. She was used to fighting, used to living the life of a Warden. She was used to seeing her enemy and knowing how to fight it, not searching for a powerful creature that she couldn't understand. She had no idea what the Creators wanted, or even what she was supposed to do.
"If Sylaise didn't want us to come here, we wouldn't be here," Ashara said calmly. "She's stronger than I could ever hope to be; I'm sure she has ways to keep us out." Her words were steady, but Kali knew her too well. She knew that the way Ashara kept biting her thumbnail meant that she was anxious.
"So, how are we supposed to find her?"
At that question, Ashara dropped the calm facade and glanced around hesitantly. "I would have thought that she'd be aware of our presence the moment we set foot here. She said this was her home, didn't she? So, how could she not notice our arrival?" Ashara hesitated. "Maybe she's waiting for something? Or, maybe we should go to the little river where she first called us?"
Kali felt like a thousand butterflies had been released in her stomach. "And, you're sure she's not going to be mad at us?"
"Um, well, no. Actually, I'm not... positive." The mage twisted strands of her hair around her fingers. "I'm just going on what I know about her, and that she's already invited us into her home once."
Well, that certainly didn't make Kali feel any better. Sylaise had already demonstrated her power by calling both of them to the Beyond at once, while they were sleeping. According to Ashara, a powerful demon could entice someone past the Veil, but that person had to go willingly. There was that demon in the Circle Tower that had trapped all of them in the Beyond, but even Wynne had said that that was a rare instance. The demon had only been able to do that because of the power it drew from the dead mages. Apparently, for Sylaise to call two separate people in the mortal world past the Veil—without them even noticing—was an impressive show of her power.
So, if Sylaise was skilled enough to do that, what would happen to them if they made her mad? Ashara had tried to assure her that, in all the stories of the Creators, there was never a single instance of Sylaise growing angry. She was peaceful, calm, and patient. But, that led Kali to wonder what would happen if she and Ashara were the first ones to make Sylaise angry, which wasn't really a comforting idea.
Still, she followed along silently behind Ashara as the mage slowly picked her way through the forest, knowing that this was the best option open to them. They had to find more answers. Kali loved the Dalish as her own people; she was honored that she could introduce herself as a member of the Elvhenan, and delighted in passing their stories on to Shianni, who would then tell the Alienage children so that they could grow up with a sense of pride. But, she didn't feel the ties to the Creators that Ashara did. Kali was amazed to know that they were real, and couldn't fathom why they had chosen to talk to her, but she still couldn't just drop everything to do what Sylaise had said.
"I can hear water," Ashara said suddenly. She pointed to an area ahead of them, where Kali could see peeks of light filtering through the canopy of trees.
Kali bit her bottom lip; sure enough, she could hear the muffled sounds of rushing water. "I don't like being so pessimistic, but what are we going to do if she isn't there?"
Ashara's violet eyes widened in her uncertainty, making her look years younger. "I... don't know. Maybe we could try calling for her?"
The two fell silent as they continued walking towards the sounds of water, each of them thinking about their own hesitancy. Kali knew that Ashara was suddenly filled with doubts, and couldn't really blame her. This had seemed like such a good idea when they were safe in Vigil's Keep, but, now that they were in the Beyond, with no real way to defend themselves, it suddenly seemed like they were walking into danger. And, when they finally reached the clearing where Sylaise had called them to before, that danger seemed to increase tenfold.
Because it wasn't Sylaise who stood beside the glittering river. It was another woman, and she didn't look pleased to see them at all.
Ashara and Kali immediately froze, staring at this new woman as if she was a bear that might suddenly attack. She was as beautiful as Sylaise had been but, at the same time, they were as different as night and day.
That she was Elvhen was immediately obvious, due to her slim ears, but they were longer than any ears Kali had ever seen before. She looked wild and defiant, like a warrior; but she held her head like a queen, and wore strange armor that Kali didn't recognize. It looked like she was wearing a type of leather armor—leather that conformed to the slender curves of her body as if it had been specially made for her—but Kali had never heard of silver leather. It even shimmered with a glow that made Kali think of the moon. The woman had matching gauntlets around her arms, and her legs were wrapped in soft, pure white fur.
Her white skin seemed almost golden under the bright rays of the sun, and her dark red hair—so dark that it looked almost black—was twisted away from her face, held back with glowing beads and glittering feathers. Her appearance alone was so strange and wild, but her dark green eyes held such anger in them that Kali felt a sudden urge to run and hide.
"Who are you to set foot here without being called?" the woman demanded. Her deep, rumbling voice held such force, and reminded Kali of the talking werewolves they had once encountered in the Brecilian Forest. "You were given your tasks. Why do you not do them?"
Beside her, Kali felt Ashara swallow nervously before saying quietly, "We... we came to ask Sylaise—"
"Fools!" The power behind the woman's savage growl forced both Kali and Ashara to their knees. Kali covered her ears from the harsh anger, but it was as if she could still hear the woman in her mind. "Do you need such things spelled out for you? Are your mortal minds so weak that you cannot listen?"
"Be at peace, Sister." At the calm, melodic voice, Kali hesitantly lifted her head to see Sylaise suddenly standing next to this terrifying woman, with a hand on her arm. "These are our children, the first da'len we have spoken to in ages. Why do you frighten them?"
"You risk yourself by even speaking with them," the woman hissed. "Yet, they are as greedy as every mortal, with their arrogance and demands."
"They have not our knowledge," Sylaise replied. "We cannot fault them for that." She turned a gentle smile to Kali and Ashara. "Rise, da'len. We are not golden idols to be worshiped; you are not required to kneel before us."
Slowly, Ashara and Kali climbed to their feet. Kali didn't know what they were supposed to do or say. Sylaise seemed to be as sweet and calm as ever, but this new woman scared her. She glared at Kali and Ashara as if she wished nothing more than to send them away or, possibly worse, kill them.
"We are sorry if we offended you," Ashara began slowly, "but we needed answers."
Sylaise frowned quizzically. "Have I not given you what you needed?"
"But, we can't just leave our people!" Kali suddenly burst out. All three women turned to stare at her; Kali felt her skin grow cold at the wild woman's glare of anger, but the words continued to just tumble out. "We have people that need us! We're helping the Elvhen to find their place again! How can we just leave all of that?"
She wrung her hands together, tossed Ashara a pleading look, and saw the mage straighten up. Ashara might be as nervous as Kali—maybe even more, given that she knew what the Creators were capable of—but Kali knew that she wouldn't just keep quiet and let Kali fend for herself.
She was right. Although Ashara's hands pulled at her belt, betraying her anxiety, her voice was as steady as ever. "My ashalan speaks the truth. We have devoted our lives to helping the Elvhen. In our country, the shemlen cannot treat them like servants anymore, and the Elvhenan have been granted land of their own again." She hesitated. "We want to do as you have asked, Sylaise, but you are asking us to abandon our people, your own children. Surely you can see why we question this?"
The wild woman continued to watch Ashara and Kali silently, although she was no longer glaring. Instead, she looked almost like she was studying them, as if they were a strange painting she wished to understand.
Sylaise, on the other hand, looked almost pleased. "Do you see now, Sister?" she remarked smugly.
The frightening Creator grudgingly inclined her head. "Perhaps, but that does not mean that I agree." Her dark green eyes narrowed in annoyance. "The Elvhen no longer remember their history; even the Elvhenan have forgotten what their mother wished for. I do not see how this changes anything. I doubt that these two even know who I am." She said the words as a challenge.
Of course, Ashara had to rise to it. Even in this situation, when they were helpless to defend themselves, Kali knew that Ashara would never let someone taunt her. She could be afraid and anxious, but she would always show a courageous face and never back down. It was one of her greatest traits, and also the most troublesome.
"I would have to say that you are Andruil, Goddess of the Hunt," Ashara said.
The goddess turned her head slightly. "And why would you say that?"
Ashara lifted her chin, looking powerful and defiant, but Kali knew her too well. She could see the doubt in Ashara's eyes. "We now know what Sylaise looks like, and Ghilan'nain is the First Halla; I assume that she looks like our sacred animal. I have been told that the Great Mother, Mythal, is a reflection of her sacred moon. You, however, look like a proud hunter."
Reluctantly, the woman's face relaxed, and she let out a tut that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. "Very well, clever mage. I am indeed Andruil, she who taught you the Vir Tanadahl. But, can you recite them?" Ashara opened her mouth to speak, but Andruil held up a hand. "Not you, clever mage. Your ashalan."
She turned to Kali, who felt her stomach drop at the attention. "Me?"
Andruil gave a smile that should have been comforting, had her eyes not been glinting dangerously. "Yes. You are part of the Elvhenan now, and you are a hunter. Though you wear my sister's mark, you are my daughter."
Kali swallowed nervously, not sure what Andruil wanted with this test. But, Ashara had taught her all of this. "Um, well, the first is Vir Assan, fly straight and never waver. The second is Vir Bor'assan, bend but never break. And the third is Vir Adahlen, together we are stronger than the one."
Sylaise looked as satisfied as a cat with a bowl of milk. "They were chosen for a reason, Sister; you should learn to have faith." Something about her tone reminded Kali of her cousin, Soris, on the few occasions when he managed to best Shianni. It was the triumphant ring of a sister who knew that she was right, and that her siblings were wrong. But, Kali must have been mistaken. There was no way the Creators would behave like squabbling siblings, right? They were gods!
"We have little time before he notices us," Andruil retorted, apparently ignoring Sylaise's comment. "Say what you wish to say, and send them on their way."
Sylaise turned to Ashara and Kali. "Your loyalty to our children is something to be admired, da'len, yet you must not let this stop you from the task laid before you."
"But, we still don't understand," Ashara protested, with a hint of desperation in her voice. "What am I supposed to find in Arlathan? What is Kali supposed to do with the Sabrae Clan?"
"One would almost begin to think you had no desire to protect your daughter," Andruil growled at Ashara. "The Elvhenan can protect her better than you."
Sylaise let out a gasp of shock and, as Kali watched, Ashara's face drained of all its color, making her look like a waxen doll. "What about my daughter?" she whispered. "What about Anyu?"
"Sister!" Sylaise chastised.
Andruil raised an eyebrow regally, looking haughty and bored. "I grow weary of this talk. And you must twist and twist things around so as not to catch his notice. If you insist on causing trouble, you had better make sure they perform their tasks."
Sylaise frowned in irritation and swept out an arm. Kali saw a flicker of light in the corner of her eyes, and knew that it meant the Goddess was sending them away from the Beyond.
At that moment, Ashara sprang to life and tried to rush forward. Kali immediately grabbed her arms and held her back, unsure of whether or not she was going to attack the Creators, or just demand answers. Either way, Kali was afraid of what would happen if Ashara caused Sylaise to make a mistake when sending them back.
"No!" Ashara shouted. "Tell me what you mean! Is Anyu in danger?" She fought desperately against Kali's grip, but Kali held on tightly. She didn't want Ashara to get herself hurt.
Either way, it didn't matter. Sylaise only looked at them with sympathy. Kali instinctively knew that they wouldn't get any more answers. "You must go now," Sylaise said. "But I warn you to take care; it would not be wise for you to return to this place a third time."
There was nothing anyone could do. Ashara and Kali were powerless to stop Sylaise from sending them back to Vigil's Keep but, as the forest was swept away and they were sent back to their world, Kali was sure that she could hear someone laughing.
oOo
The chantry in Amaranthine proved to be slightly more complicated than Tamlen or Zevran had first expected. Not much, of course, since both men were highly skilled in the arts of stealth and silence, but it required a bit more finesse than simply walking in and stealing papers.
When they started the short journey from Vigil's Keep to Amaranthine—dressed as servants to avoid notice—they had spent the entire time laughing about how they would sneak in, and joking about all of the things they would steal. Who could blame them if, during a search for information to protect the two women they most cared for, they happened to notice some shiny bauble or gold thread lying about and take it with them? After all, it was the Chantry's fault they were sneaking in to begin with; why shouldn't Tamlen and Zevran take some sort of payment for their hard work? They even jested about taking Mother Cecilia's formal robes, and laughed until they were in tears over the thought of her expression when she found out.
For both men, the Chantry had become a source of great annoyance, and it was quite a treat to imagine all the ways to get back at them. Tamlen, perhaps, held a bit more animosity than Zevran, what with his Dalish history, but even the assassin, who had been so devout in his own way, had started to consider the Chantry to be a bur in his hide.
No matter how much time had passed since the assault on Amaranthine, it seemed as though the Chantry would never forgive the Wardens for abandoning the city in favor of saving the Keep. It was true that many people had died in the city, and that the original chantry had been demolished, but the Wardens had been quick to rebuild everything they could, spending huge amounts of coin to do so. Even the Crown had offered up money to aid them in their task.
Some of the people still grumbled about it and, even now, six years later, Tamlen still heard complaining. They said that the Elvhen couldn't be bothered to help a human city; that saving their own kind would always come first. Although, despite those few who accused the Wardens of saving their own skin over others, it did seem as though most people had moved on from that unfortunate moment, especially since Ashara and Kali always made a point to ensure that the people had everything they needed. Fereldan winters could be harsh, but the Commander and her Second were always there to make sure that the people had enough food and shelter.
Ashara knew, as no one but the Dalish could know, what it took to survive a harsh winter with only scavenged food and almost no shelter. She knew how to ration food, and how to find warmth even in the snow. And, she knew which herbs to eat when food was scarce, for there had been many times when the Dalish had gone hungry.
Kali knew, as one who had once lived in the meanest of buildings in the poorest areas of the city, how to stretch what little she had. She understood money in a way these shemlen never would, having learned from her father how to care for a large family while earning almost no income.
Together, the two women had employed their various skills to help out the people of the city. When they had been rebuilding the homes that had been lost, Ashara had showed them which wood to use for sturdy walls. She had taught them how a cluster of trees planted near a home could cool the ground in summer, and trap heat in winter. Kali earned their love from her warmth; she took the time to walk around the farms, learn their names and ask about their families. With her knowledge of making a little money go a long way, she was able to find and bring in skilled tradespeople, whether they be tailors, healers, or blacksmiths, who charged a fair price for their fine crafts.
The common people were happy that their two Arlessas—for Ashara had insisted that she and Kali were equals—took the time to visit them. From what Tamlen had seen, it seemed that most of the people were glad to see their Arlessas take an interest in their lives.
With their different knowledge and various skills, and with the help of the Wardens, Ashara and Kali had been able to rebuild Amaranthine into a city greater than it had been. Thanks to the skills of the dwarves at Vigil's Keep, the battlement of Amaranthine now gleamed with a smooth, sturdy stone what would never crumble, no matter what type of attack they faced. The houses were made of strong wood that was snug and tight in winter, and the merchants were well supplied and wealthy. It was a good city, a city to rival even Denerim, and most of the people were content.
Except for the Chantry, that was.
The Chantry had never seemed to recover from the loss of their first great building, especially since Ashara and Kali had spent more time and effort with the common people, rather than ensuring that the new building was as glorious as the old one. They had made sure to hire builders to complete the new chantry quick enough, but Ashara's orders were to build it in a simple way. When Mother Cecilia questioned Ashara as to why the chantry was not being rebuilt as had it had originally been, Ashara's response had been that a smaller building made room for trees to keep the chantry snug in winter.
Acknowledging the good sense of that, Mother Cecilia had decided to push further and asked the Wardens to pay a tithe to the Chantry, as all the Arls and Arlessas did. But, that had been something Ashara had refused to do. She and Kali would never refuse to allow others to worship the Maker—they were firm that each person should have their own beliefs, whether right or wrong—but they would not pay the Chantry, especially since that money was better spent on the Wardens or the city. Their refusal had led the Chantry to question what god they worshiped, and now they believed that Ashara and Kali—and by extension Tamlen and Zevran—were heathens who were trying to corrupt the city into worshiping pagan Dalish gods.
Of course, it didn't help matters that, together, Ashara and Kali had conscripted a total of five mages during their six years at Vigil's Keep. At one point, there had actually been six mages at the Keep, all of them living without any sort of Chantry supervision! Well, technically seven, if one counted Velanna. But, Tamlen never did, seeing as how Ashara had cast her out of the Wardens after Velanna had thrown a fit over the Architect's death. That woman had been an explosion waiting to happen; picking fights with everyone, demanding her own way, and always accusing Ashara and Tamlen of turning their backs on their people to join the shemlen. Tamlen expected that she was dead by now, and didn't count it as a loss.
But, as far as the Chantry was concerned, Ashara and Kali had a habit of bringing in too many mages, and they didn't like it. The five mages that had been conscripted, with the exception of Anders, had all been taken from the Circle Tower. Greagoir had allowed it, easily enough, but the Chantry had complained that the Wardens were taking too many mages from their Tower. What could happen if all those mages lived without supervision? How much damage could they cause?
Based on their complaints and behavior, Tamlen could easily believe that the Seekers were using the Chantry in Amaranthine to keep an eye on the Wardens. He suspected that they had been waiting for an excuse for a while now.
"So, what do you think, my friend?" Zevran asked, distracting Tamlen from his thoughts. The two of them stood in the shadows of a cluster of trees, looking at the chantry standing a few feet in front of them. "The building is not heavily guarded, although we can expect a few templars to be about."
Tamlen shielded his eyes and looked up at the vibrant sky, alight with rich colors of orange, red, and blue. "The sun is setting; I suppose we could wait until it gets dark and sneak through without them noticing. Do you know of a good way in?" Tamlen knew almost nothing about the layout of the chantry, having refused to set foot inside.
The assassin pointed. "There is a small door at the back; one that leads into the kitchens."
"The kitchens?" Tamlen asked, momentarily distracted. "Is this a place of worship or a house?"
Zevran chuckled. "It is both. The Revered Mother, the sisters, brothers, and templars all live here together. They do not have a home of their own. I suppose some have families they occasionally visit, but for the most part they stay within those walls."
"Oh, I didn't know that. I never paid much attention when Ashara and Kali had this place rebuilt."
"Six years of living in a society of Andrastrians, and yet you know as much now as when you had been away from your Clan for only a few weeks."
Tamlen let out a snort of amusement. "I'll have you know that I pride myself on that, thank you very much."
"Well then, my ignorant friend, you should know that we can always expect at least one or two members of the Chantry to be up and about at night. I believe that some like to say a midnight prayer to Andraste, and I assume that a templar or two will be guarding the halls."
"All right then, we'll have to make sure they don't spot us." He thought about the situation for a moment. "Do you know where we should look? I mean, I'm assuming that we're looking for letters from one of the Seekers, or something that talks about the Wardens. But, would the Revered Mother keep them in an office?"
Zevran studied the building thoughtfully, as if thinking about his answer. "I would have to assume that she would keep them under lock and key in her room. I highly doubt that, if she was instructed to watch us, she would have told everyone at the chantry."
"I don't understand. Why wouldn't she tell the sisters and brothers, or at least the templars? She would have an easier time knowing our movements if she had extra eyes on us."
"Not all of the Chantry wishes to cause problems with us, my friend. The Chantry does not consist solely of bitter old women who hate the Elvhen and think we are trying to turn people away from the Maker. There are quite a few members who are fine people, who wish only to do good in the name of Andraste. There are many who understand that we are doing what we can for others. Some of them have no trouble with a Dalish Warden-Commander and Second."
Zevran made a good point, although it was hard for Tamlen to think of the Chantry as anything other than evil and cruel. He had lived in the shemlen world for almost seven years, yet even now he still hesitated whenever a stranger approached him. He had been raised with his own people, the Dalish, who would have had homes of their own long ago and would never have lost so much of their heritage, if not for the Chantry leading an Exalted March against the Dales, slaughtering any elf they found. He had been trained as a hunter; his task had been to provide food for his kin and protect them from the wicked shemlen. And always, always, he had been taught that the Chantry would wipe the Elvhenan off the face of Thedas if they could.
Rationally, he had learned that not all shemlen were evil creatures simply waiting for the chance to kill his family. Those who lived at the Keep were good people, and the men and women who had fought beside the Grey Wardens during the Blight were brave and strong. Even Leliana, who had been so sure of the Chantry, so devoted to the Maker, was a good and honorable woman. So, Tamlen had long ago learned that his own people were just as prejudiced against shemlen as the humans were against the Elvhen, but he still couldn't escape his own natural hatred for the Chantry.
"All right, let's stay hidden until the sun fully sets," Tamlen said.
The two men waited until it grew dark, never moving from their spot in the shadows. At first, they toyed around with the idea of waiting in the tavern, but eventually decided against it. If they did find some incriminating papers and took them, it would be better if no one had seen them. Tamlen and Zevran, as with most of the members of Vigil's Keep, were well known in Amaranthine. It would be better if no one knew they had even left the Keep. If the Chantry ever discovered that they had crept into a Revered Mother's room, it would escalate the tensions between them and the Wardens. It could be disastrous.
They climbed into the trees and stayed hidden amongst the branches and shadows, watching as the sun finished setting and the city slowly succumbed to sleep. Then, and only then, did they move from their hiding place, slip down the street, and into the back of the chantry.
oOo
Ashara and Kali stood in the courtyard of Vigil's Keep, waiting for Tamlen and Zevran to return from Amaranthine. It was a tense, cold silence. Ashara dismissed anyone who came to speak with her and when Anyu had come, wondering what her mother was doing, Ashara had put on a fake smile. She'd knelt down and told her she was just waiting for Tamlen to come home, then suggested that Anyu go get something to eat. Kali bit her lip at the sight of Ashara fighting to smile, and tried to hold back the urge to pitch to her knees and pull the little girl into a tight hug. Both she and Ashara were terrified for Anyu's safety, but frightening the poor girl wouldn't accomplish anything.
By the time Tamlen and Zevran returned from Amaranthine, it was almost morning. The two men stopped short when they saw the women waiting anxiously for them, but Ashara didn't say anything. Instead, she gestured that they follow her and Kali, and led them into the Keep, up the stairs, and into her room.
As soon as the door was shut behind them and the four of them were alone, Ashara twisted around and said, without preamble, "We're going to have to leave."
The two men looked at her in surprise, then turned to glance over at Kali, who had moved to the side of the room and sat perched on the couch, her feet on the cushions, her hands twitching anxiously. She saw their concern and nodded. "I think... I think Asha might be right."
Tamlen moved swiftly to Ashara's side, as if he would snatch her to him. "Vulpasha, tell me what's wrong. You look like you've seen a ghost. Did something happen in the Beyond?"
Ashara leaned back, her eyes full of fear and concern; Kali knew it was for Anyu. "We met Andruil, Tamlen."
Kali watched as Tamlen's eyes widened. Ashara had told her that Andruil was his special goddess, much like Sylaise was for her. Tamlen wore Andruil's symbol tattooed on his forehead, and each time he picked up his weapon he sent her a silent prayer to aid him in his task.
"Andruil?" he asked incredulously. "You actually... met her?"
Zevran silently walked over to Kali and bent his head. "Is this the truth?"
Kali nodded, staring at her knees in a mixture of confusion and fear. "Yes... I was right there. I couldn't believe it, either. But she was right in front of us. And she was so... frightening. She had a deep, powerful voice, and she looked like... she could kill you before you had any time to react."
"She said something that made me think Anyu is in danger," Ashara said quietly; Kali could hear her throat tightening. "She said that the Elvhenan can protect her better than we can."
Tamlen let out a sharp hiss of anger and folded Ashara in his arms. "Don't worry, vulpasha. Nothing will hurt Anyu; I swear it."
"What, exactly, did she say about Anyu?" Zevran asked Kali quietly, worry in his posture. The two of them were practically second parents to Anyu; they had as much hand in raising her as Ashara and Tamlen did, and loved her as their own.
Kali's hands tightened on the back of the couch. "When we asked Sylaise for answers, Andruil said that it almost sounded like we didn't want to protect Anyu. Then she said that the Elvhenan can protect her better than we can. But, she didn't even say what we have to protect her from."
Ashara twisted out of Tamlen's grip, her normally violet eyes almost black, as hard as chips of coal. "It doesn't matter what we're protecting her from. We'll have to do what Sylaise said, and leave Vigil's Keep."
"But, Sylaise told you to go to Arlathan," Kali pointed out. "Are there Dalish there, because I got the feeling that Anyu is supposed to go to the Sabrae Clan in Kirkwall. How are you supposed to do what Sylaise told you to do and still keep in mind what Andruil said?"
Ashara turned a hard, determined face to Kali. "You're going to have to take her."
"What?"
The Warden-Commander of Ferelden, known for her proud demeanor and powerful spells, twisted her hair around her fingers anxiously, as if she wished to rip it out. "We can't take any chances, not with Anyu."
Tamlen hesitated. "Are you sure this is right? To send Anyu off without us?"
Ashara was twisting her hair so badly that Tamlen had to catch hold of her hands, to keep her steady. "We can't," she said. "If this is so important, we have to do what Sylaise told us to do. But, I can't take Anyu with me; not if it means she's in danger." She took in a deep breath. "Although, that's not to say that you can't go with Kali and Zevran to Kirkwall. I can make the journey to Arlathan on my own."
Tamlen instantly shook his head. "Never. You're not traveling through Thedas by yourself. If Anyu has to be taken to our Clan, I trust Kali and Zevran to keep her safe."
Kali bit her lip anxiously. Part of her was wondering if maybe they were overreacting. She knew that all of them—Ashara especially—had a tendency to be a bit too protective of Anyu. Even though they lived in Vigil's Keep, a safe place where guards frequently prowled the halls and everyone who lived there knew how to fight, Ashara still insisted that Anyu's windows were locked at night, and that everyone at the Keep watch her. No matter where Anyu went, she was almost always with someone, or someone discreetly kept an eye on her. Kali even knew that sometimes, at night, Ashara would suddenly become anxious over Anyu's safety and go peek into her room, checking to make sure her daughter was still sleeping.
So, Kali was well aware of the fact that sometimes they had a tendency to get too worried about Anyu but, in this instance, she wasn't sure if they should take any risks. She, herself, had felt the power behind Andruil and Sylaise, and a Creator like Andruil surely wouldn't have let something important—like Anyu's safety—slip out accidentally. And Sylaise had suddenly sent them back when Andruil mentioned Anyu; didn't that prove that Andruil had told them something they weren't supposed to know? But, why would Sylaise, who seemed so sweet and caring, have kept that from them?
"Did you find anything in the chantry?" Ashara suddenly asked.
Tamlen jumped slightly. "Oh! I forgot about that." Kali didn't really blame him. After all this worry over Anyu, she had forgotten about Leliana's letter as well. "I'm not sure, actually," he continued. "Zevran, you still have the letter?"
Zevran reached into one of the many pockets hidden in his leather armor, and pulled out a piece of parchment. "We found nothing from the Seekers; nothing that shows the Chantry has asked Mother Cecilia to keep an eye on us. But, we did find this."
Kali looked over his shoulder at the letter, but she couldn't make out anything it said. There was a lot of writing, but it was all a jumble of letters mixed together; it made no sense at all.
Zevran saw her confusion and nodded. "It is in code, and I have not yet had the chance to study it." He pointed to a small symbol mixed within the writing; a symbol that looked like a straight line with swirls twisted around it. "Do you see this mark here? I have seen it before. The Crows deciphered a letter from one of the Antivan merchants, who had sought to expel some of the Dalish who had stolen some of his wares. To my understanding, this is a symbol that represents the Dalish Clans."
Kali inhaled sharply. "That means the Elvhenan?"
The assassin nodded and handed the letter to Ashara, who looked it over intently. "What the code says, I do not yet know. But, it was not folded when we found it in Mother Cecilia's desk, so we can assume that it was written by her hand, and that she was planning to send it to someone."
Tamlen crossed his arms and leaned against the desk, frowning. "We searched through all of her cabinets and drawers, but we didn't find anything that has the translation to the code. Either Mother Cecilia has it hidden somewhere else, or she has the code memorized."
Ashara's brows furrowed together as she thought it over. "If this does refer to the Dalish, it could either mean the Clans in the Brecilian Forest, or it could mean the four of us." She raised her head and looked at the three of them. "Everyone knows that Kali was welcomed as a member of the Dalish, and that Zevran's mother was of the Elvhenan."
Tamlen nodded. "That's what we thought. If the Chantry is watching the three Clans in the Brecilian Forest, Zevran says that the Chantry here in Amaranthine probably wouldn't know about it. How could they watch the Clans from here? So, we're thinking that the letter refers to us. From the Chantry's point of view, all four of us are Dalish."
"So, does this prove Leliana's letter, then?" Kali asked. "Do you think you should meet with her in Halamshiral?"
"Yes, I think we should," Ashara said slowly. Her head suddenly came up. "What if the danger Andruil warned about was from the Chantry?"
"But, what would they want with our daughter?" Tamlen asked.
Ashara bit her thumbnail. "I don't know; Leliana said the Seekers were asking questions about the Blight, but Anyu has nothing to do with that. What I do know is that we can't take any chances, not with our child." She turned to Kali. "You and Zevran are going to have to take her to Kirkwall, where she can be protected, while Tamlen and I meet with Leliana and then go to Arlathan Forest."
Kali suddenly felt cold, like everything was moving so fast she couldn't catch up. She wanted to keep Anyu safe, but abandoning everything was a huge step. "Are we... sure that this is real?" She hesitated. "I don't want Anyu to be hurt; I'd protect her with my life, but what if it turns out that we're abandoning everything here for nothing? Asha, you said that demons can take the form of anything in the Beyond; what if those were demons messing with us?"
"Kali," Ashara said quietly, "you know how a demon feels; you've met them before. Did you feel that Sylaise and Andruil were demons?"
"I don't... well, no," she admitted. "I felt like they were powerful beings that I couldn't understand. I felt like... well, I can't really explain it."
"Then, how can we ignore what they said?"
Kali was about to argue the simple reality of the situation. Gods didn't just talk to people like that! They didn't just set out tasks and warn people! If they did—if they were capable of speaking to someone so easily—why did they stay silent? And why choose the two of them? What made Ashara and Kali so important that the Creators would speak with them, when they hadn't talked to anyone else in thousands of years?
But, then she hesitated, as her mind turned to all of the other things they had done over the years. She thought of meeting Flemeth, a powerful maleficar from ancient history. She thought about fighting talking darkspawn, and finding the Anvil of the Void, an ancient artifact supposedly lost to history. She thought of discovering the Urn of Sacred Ashes, a relic that was supposed to have stayed hidden for centuries, and surviving the destruction of the Archdemon, a task that was supposed to have killed her. Then, she thought about Morrigan's child, a child that defied all logic and housed the soul of an Old God.
After all of that, after all of the other things that they had done—things that were considered to be miracles—why did this situation seem so strange?
She was staring at her knees and felt someone take hold of her hands and grasp them tightly. She lifted her head to see Ashara looking at her with sympathy. "I know this isn't easy, ashalan."
"I want to do anything I can to protect Anyu," she whispered. "It's just that I don't want to leave everything. Not again." Zevran put an arm around her shoulder and Tamlen came to stand beside Ashara. Kali was surrounded by her sister, her lover, and her best friend, three of the most important people in her life. She took in a deep breath, drawing courage from their support. The four of them had stood together through everything, and they would stand together through this as well.
"But, if it means that Anyu is safe, then it doesn't matter how I feel," she continued, knowing in her heart that she would give up anything to keep Anyu safe. She loved that little girl as if she was her own.
Ashara nodded. Kali noticed the tension in her eyes, and realized that although Ashara was standing firm, inside she was just as worried as Kali was. Zevran's grip on Kali's shoulders tightened; she knew him well enough to know that he was telling her he would be by her side every step of the way.
She let out a slow breath. "When do we leave?"
"As soon as we can," Ashara said.
Kali bit her bottom lip and nodded. It felt like before, when Duncan had taken her away from her home, and she hadn't even gotten a chance to say good-bye to anyone. Perhaps it was just the memory of that time that was causing Kali's stomach to clench up in fear. Maybe her worry didn't really mean anything at all.
Translations:
vallaslin - literally means blood writing; the tattoos the Dalish get to mark their entrance to adulthood. Each tattoo represents a different Creator
da'len - child/children
ashalan - sister
Vir Tanadahl - the Way of the Three Trees; Andruil taught it to the elves as the 'way of the hunter'
Vir Assan - the Way of the Arrow; fly straight and do not waver
Vir Bor'assan - the Way of the Bow; bend but never break
Vir Adahlen - the Way of the Forest; together we are stronger than the one
A/N: If you're wondering why that first scene isn't in italics (when all of my other Fade scenes are) it's because the section was a lot longer than I originally intended, and I didn't want to give anyone headaches with a massive wall of italics.
A big thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, and requesting alerts. It makes me so happy!
Special hugs and thank yous to Suilven for her awesome beta work, and for patiently going through this chapter fixing my mistakes, and offering up suggestions for parts that didn't make a whole lot of sense. It especially means a lot because of all the hard work she's been doing with NaNoWriMo. Thank you so much sweetie!