The Inquisitor's Choice, Chapter Four

Dorian stepped into the tent, letting the flap hang behind him. After admitting the Wardens into the Inquisition as free allies, they had set up camp to allow Ashik to rest and heal a bit. The Wardens were told to collect and pack their things for the journey to Skyhold and a good deal of them left with Cullen and his forces. Cassandra and Fiona and her mages had remained behind to watch over the camp and escort the remaining Wardens to Skyhold. Blackwall and Hawke had disappeared during the night and Dorian suspected they had left with Cullen. It was clear that Hawke needed time to mourn the death of his friend. Blackwall was easier to speak with than Solas or Dorian. Solas held no sympathy for mortal deaths and Dorian was too concerned about the state of his Inquisitor to comfort the Kirkwall champion.

Presently, Dorian was standing in the middle of the vast tent, watching said Inquisitor sleep. They had set up a comfortable chaise for him to sleep upon, pulled out of the fortress, no doubt. Solas had applied herbs and fed him a potion before healing the superficial damage with a spell. It would be a few days before Ashik would be able to walk without pain in his leg. Dorian sighed softly and then knelt next to the chaise, reaching out and brushing his fingers over his cheek. He should have been thankful that it was merely his leg that had been harmed, but even that small injury caused him anxiety.

Ashik stirred, turning his head to blink blearily at Dorian. A slow smile curled his lips upward. "How terrible do I look?" he asked.

"Not much worse than me," Dorian replied. "And since I look handsome at all times, that can give you a good idea."

"A better answer compared to the last time I was set up in a camp like this."

"You had also been through quite a bit more, if you recall." Ashik chuckled, sliding up so he was sitting up. He gestured for Dorian to join him on the chaise and the Tevinter obliged him, sliding an arm around him and pulling him closer so their heads were touching. "Are you alright?" he asked him softly.

"Any decision I make ends up hurting someone in the end. I never wanted Stroud to die there. I tried to wait so that I could at least try to bring him with me or...to bring his body back for a proper burial. I couldn't wait any longer, though. It felt as though the rift was fading and there was no way I could run fast enough to grab him."

"I had figured that was on your mind." Dorian reached up, taking his face in his hands. "You have made better decisions than other men would have in those situations. I couldn't do it and nobody else could have, not even Hawke. The Inquisition is where it is because of your decisions. It could not have gotten here without you."

"You always know the right thing to say, Dorian."

"I am the best, you know," he reminded him with a slight smile. He leaned in, kissing the Inquisitor softly. When he withdrew, he rested his forehead upon his. "When you didn't come out of the rift after me, I was scared to death, thinking you had died with him. I'm selfish, I know, but as long as you lived through that, that's all I cared about."

"It's a good thing I like your selfish side."

Dorian laughed slightly. "Nobody else other than you could find enjoyment in my faults...could see them as benefits rather than the flaws they really are. I may be handsome and charming, but I do not have the talent you do for luring people in and keeping them near me. I'm too good at being an ass. I could never find someone as...accepting...as you. And all I could think about when I came out of the rift was that I had lost you, amatus."

"You will never lose me," Ashik assured him, pulling his mouth to his again. "I promise."

"That's a promise that can easily be broken if Corypheus gets his way."

"All the more reason to stop him, then."

Dorian grudgingly smiled, cheered by his words in spite of himself. Just as he moved to kiss him again, there was a call outside the tent, "Inquisitor? Are you awake?" He sighed slightly, glancing at Ashik who gave a rueful grin. Dorian rose to his feet, stepping away slightly as Cassandra popped her head in, peering inside the tent. She glared disapprovingly at Dorian and then the rest of her body appeared as she moved inside the tent. "I'm glad to see you are well."

"As well as I can be after almost getting killed by an Archdaemon and a Fear Demon," the Inquisitor told her with a smile, bracing his hands upon his knees. Cassandra released an exasperated sigh.

"I knew you'd be difficult the first time you revealed this morbid humor of yours when the Breach was in the sky," she said. "You would think I'd get used to your bad jokes, but my tolerance for them is decreasing rather than increasing."

"I was hoping you might start making jokes, too. You have made one before, you know. After we dealt with the Lord Seeker. You should really think to make more like that. I'd bet less people would be afraid of you."

"Fear and intimidation are two different things, Inquisitor," she informed him in a brittle tone, "and they suit my purposes just fine." She looked again at Dorian, who simply smiled at her encouragingly, a subtle indication that he had no intention of leaving the tent. She released another sigh, raising and dropping her hands as she shook her head, turning back to Ashik. "The reason I came in here was to discuss the Grey Wardens with you, Inquisitor. I'm sure you can guess what I'm about to say."

"I have an idea."

"I supported your decision to help the rebel mages, even though I was not sure if it would turn out well. This, however...these fanatical Wardens not only engaged in blood magic, but nearly made it possible for Corypheus to obtain his demon army! And you are simply excusing their behavior? Thedas will begin to see the Inquisition as nothing more than an institution out to fix the messes of everyone else and integrating them without even a slap on the hand. The Wardens are naïve and single-minded. If they are given another opportunity to destroy the Blight, they will likely take it and we'll be in this same mess. You should have exiled them!"

"And what about Archdaemons?" the Inquisitor asked calmly. "If we banished the Wardens and another Blight does occur, then who will take care of it? Nobody else is trained in that and nobody else has dealt with both as effectively as the Wardens."

"And nobody except for us can handle the Wardens!" she lashed back angrily.

"I'm sure others have the abilities to take them down, Cassandra. We're not gods and they're just men. They can be dealt with again, if necessary. But now they at least know the risks of going to such extremes. They'll not do so again so lightly. Right now, the Wardens are a shadow of what they once were. They killed their own and too many of their own people have died. They're not a risk."

"But they could be and that is the problem! If they rebuild and become strong again, they could throw Thedas into disarray."

"The Wardens didn't do it to hurt anyone. They did it because they thought they were doing the right thing. It's a much different story where the Seekers and Templars are concerned." He released his knees, his face set into hard angles. It was clear that his tolerance for the conversation had ended quicker than usual, likely because of his injury and their harrowing experience in the Fade. "Most of the Seekers were too blind by greed and hungry for power to think they were doing anything wrong until they were being slaughtered. The Templars could have rebelled, but they followed blindly and let themselves be corrupted. Both of them could have helped to handle the Breach, to stop the civil wars in Orlais or Fereldan, but instead they stayed silent. The Wardens thought they were doing what was best for the people, sacrificing themselves for a necessary cause. Fiona was trying to protect her people before the Templars destroyed them – she thought she had no choice but to join the Imperium. You are too blinded by your own biases to see this!"

"And does anything you say sound unbiased?"

"Far more than you!" he snapped back. "You think these people are desperate, but they are also more loyal to the Inquisition than I think the Templars or Seekers would have been. Their position makes them more likely to prove themselves worthy. I would trust them with my life before I would any member of the Templars or the Chantry, for that matter!"

Cassandra shook faintly with rage before she whirled around to look at Dorian, who had been a silent spectator to the argument. "This is all your doing!" she accused.

"Mine?" Dorian blankly said.

"If he had not gotten involved with a mage – had not been corrupted by you – "

"Say it plainly, my dear," Dorian said, spreading his hands out. "Say what you think is going on."

"I know exactly what is going on, Dorian," she hissed at him, taking a threatening step towards him. Thankfully Dorian was accustomed to Cassandra's rages and had witnessed her attempting to beat Varric on several occasions to know how to handle her. Rather than back away as she intended, he stood his ground and met her gaze unwaveringly. Even though her eyes flashed fire at him, he sensed a strange depression within her, as if he had taken something dear from her. "Everybody knows what is going on and nobody trusts your intentions. The only reason you got this close to the Inquisitor is for your own means. Anyone can see what's happening. When there's a decision to be made, he defers to your opinion rather than his advisors!"

"You are no longer my advisor, Cassandra," Ashik reminded her before the conversation could escalate further. "You stepped down from that position when we came to Skyhold. Leliana and Josephine have agreed with the majority of my decisions – and I rather think Leliana, at least, will have my back on this one."

"Do I need to be your advisor to give me input? I thought I was – " She halted abruptly, stiffening. After a pregnant pause, she simply shook her head and backed away from them. "Nothing I say will sway you," she said at last. "Excuse me." She whipped around, violently throwing the tent flap up as she hurried away. Dorian watched her, his brow puckered in worry. He was certain he had not mistaken that look in her eye, the direction her words were taking. He caught a glimpse of the Inquisitor resting his face in his hands wearily.

"Don't follow her," he said as Dorian made to leave the tent. Dorian stopped with his hand upon the flap, looking to Ashik. He had lied back down on the chaise and was rubbing his forehead with his palm. "You'll only agitate her further."

"I'll just be a moment," Dorian told him before leaving.

He did not immediately try to find Cassandra, giving her time to cool off before he made a better search for her. He found her at the edge of the camp, sitting on a wooden box used for transporting lyrium for the mages. She spotted him and gave him a warning glance. Rather than heeding it, he stepped up beside her, clasping his hands behind his back and staring out at the desert of the Western Approach. Neither of them spoke, barely acknowledging each other's presence. After a while, Dorian heard her shift and when he glanced at her, she was staring out at the sand dunes, as well. "My reasons for treating you the way I do – " she began roughly.

"I already know," he sighed, riding over any of her other words. He bowed his head, putting together his thoughts. Even though there was much he wanted to say, it was hard to determine what would be appropriate for a woman like Cassandra. Instead, he asked, "When did you know? That he was...?"

"I never knew," she murmured. "Not until you showed up, not until rumors began about you two. This...thing, this venture into the Fade...I thought he was dead." Dorian raised his head, tilting it slightly so that he might see her better. She had her hands clasped between her knees, her elbows resting against her thighs. She had the tortured look of a woman caught up in emotions she had little to no experience with, ones that Dorian himself had been grasping at in the past months. "I have never had a good relationship with the Inquisitor...not really. He and I have always fought, but he was the only one that could tease me and joke about it later. He never took my words to heart...even though I took some of his to heart."

"Ah. His flirting?"

"He has been very supportive of me, been willing to listen as I struggled with the Chantry and how to define myself. Nobody else has been so understanding..." She laughed bitterly. "Or so damn sweet and charming." Cassandra's hands tightened and she clenched her eyes tight. "I lied to myself...I told myself there was no way he could be interested in you. It only hurt me in the end. He has been very open about it, I just didn't want to believe."

Dorian found himself feeling strangely ill at ease. He had not given much thought as to what to say to Cassandra when he faced her, but he certainly had not expected her to admit to so much; yet he was glad that she did. For once, she seemed human in her confessions. The feelings Dorian had locked deep in his heart for the Inquisitor were ones that he was seeing reflected upon Cassandra's face, hearing raw in her voice. It was unsettling, realizing that he was not the only person that felt so strongly about Ashik.

"So," he concluded, "you fell in love with him?"

Cassandra looked up at Dorian, meeting his eyes. "You love him," she stated. "You can understand why I would. Can you really blame me? I thought I was stupid, falling for the leader of the Inquisition...how more foolish could I get? But I wanted it so badly...and when I saw how happy he made you...I wanted it even more." She straightened, glancing over her shoulder at the desert again. "I considered killing you."

"Wonderful."

"Obviously I dismissed the thought."

"Please, don't keep me in suspense. Any particular reason why? Some merciful part in your soul?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she muttered, returning her gaze to him. "I left it alone because of him. I don't think I could ever have made him as happy as you make him, Dorian. Even if he was interested in women. Savor that, because it's not something I want to admit."

"I think I will savor it, thank you very much." He paused, hesitating. "He does...care for you, you know." Cassandra narrowed her eyes warningly at him. "I'm not playing a prank on you. He goes out of his way a lot for you. Going after the Lord Seeker...tracking down those rogue Templars...he did that to ease your mind, because he cares. He also wouldn't bother defending his reasons to you unless he thought your opinion mattered. Even though you can be bullheaded, he still sees your worth. If things had been different, if this were a different life, he would have chosen you. I'm sure of it."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because he likes a challenge," Dorian said with a quirky smile, bowing slightly to her in respect. "He could have gone for someone easy like Iron Bull, but instead he went for the spoiled, hated Tevinter with his selfish, bratty temper. You have to admit that even for someone as patient as Ashik, I'm quite a handful."

"Yes, I'm sure he has his hands full with your mood swings, Dorian."

"As much as he would have his hands full with yours, my dear."

Cassandra blinked, startled by the comparison. She seemed to contemplate it and then released a heavy sigh, looking away from him irritably. Dorian smiled, knowing that her silence was one of concurrence, rather than disagreement. After a time, she asked him, "Shouldn't you be getting back to him? Why did you even come out here?"

"It's...unnerving...to see someone feel as strongly for him as I do," Dorian replied hesitantly. "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"As long as he is alive and happy," Cassandra told him quietly, "I will be."

X

"Inquisitor, do you not think there is a better way to get up there?" Cassandra was asking as Dorian and Solas rounded the corner. Since Adamant Fortress, Cassandra had demanded to be allowed to come along with them on their adventures in the wilderness. Blackwall was obliged to give up his position a time or two, as he had become interested in speaking with Dagna, the arcanist. The other members were fairly certain there was more than intellectual talk happening between the two according to what Harritt had been reporting.

"Do you see a better way than this ladder?" Ashik asked as he moved towards the rather decrepit ladder. They had come to the elven ruin in the Emerald Graves to see if the red Templars had been to it yet. The problem, however, was that they were finding trouble getting inside. The ladder seemed to be the only way in, yet it certainly did not appear safe.

"No, I don't see any way, actually."

"Then this is the best way."

She made an annoyed sound, raising her sword and shield angrily and then turning. Dorian could barely see her face through her helmet. As it was, however, he did not need to see her to sense her frustration coming off in waves towards him. Solas glanced at him and took a step away, as if he held the Blight. Cassandra pointed her sword at Ashik, who was testing the ladder, stepping on it and putting some weight upon it. "Are you planning to do something about him?" she demanded.

"I hope you're not talking to me," Dorian said, raising his eyebrows slightly as he leaned against his staff. "We all know he does as he wishes, when he wishes."

"That doesn't excuse him!"

"The Inquisitor can be an impenetrable force," Solas remarked, "when he wants to."

"And ladders seem to ignite that in him," Dorian added jauntily.

"You're all being replaced when I return to Skyhold," Ashik said to them over his shoulder as he placed all of his weight upon the ladder and began climbing it. "I can find more loyal companions to – " There was a sudden crack and the ladder broke from the top and sent him and the remaining lower half of the ladder flying backwards. Cassandra scrambled out of the way and Ashik jumped from it, landing nimbly and rolling away to absorb the impact of the fall. The group exchanged a look and then edged closer to him where he was lying. He rolled over onto his back and sighed. "Not one word. Just find me another way into the damn ruins."

"'The Inquisitor was hilarious,'" Cassandra grumbled as she walked away from him. "That's what they'll say when your story is passed down."

"Well, they certainly will have an anti-hero on their hands," he said, getting to his feet lithely. "I fall from the sky, I complain about it, then I make bad decisions, and somehow people still follow me. Does this add up to any heroic story you've heard told, Cassandra?"

"I'm not listening to him anymore," she said to Solas, who stifled a chuckle, raising a fist to cover his smile.

After they eventually found an entrance into the ruins from a vellfire rune, they entered the elven ruins and discovered the red Templars within. It was an easy feat to dispense of them and collect the elven artifact for the Inquisition. They were still unsure why Corypheus seemed so obsessed with lurking in elven ruins, but the artifacts seemed to be the key based upon the correspondence letters that Samson had been sending his men. The more they came in contact with the red Templars, the closer they seemed to get to Corypheus and his army and the closer they got to eradicating his forces.

That night, as they slept in camp in the evening, Dorian stood at the edge of the ruins the camp was set up in, gazing out into the grove of trees. He crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder against the pillar, drawing his eyes up towards the tops of the trees. It was almost oppressively dark here, where not even moonlight seemed able to pierce through the thick leaves of the trees. Dorian had never been particularly comfortable in the Dales and especially in the Emerald Graves. The thought of millions of elves buried beneath where he slept, that these trees were the embodiment of ancient Dalish, unsettled him deeply. He was only thankful that it was not his people for once that had been the cause of such death and destruction, but the Chantry instead. Dorian turned slightly to look at Ashik, who was talking with the requisition officer, leaning against the table as she indicated something to him. Not my people, he thought, but his. I can only imagine how he feels about that. Dorian did not need to imagine too much, though. Ashik was very vocal in his disapproval of the Chantry, partially due to historical prejudices, but also his own familial issues.

As if feeling his gaze upon him, the Inquisitor's eyes flickered up from the table and his lips curved in a pleasant smile when he caught Dorian looking at him. Dorian returned the smile with his own saucy, inviting one before he turned back to the grove. There were thousands of atrocities that had happened in Thedas and the Dales and new ones that were occurring daily, yet Dorian had an odd inner sense of peace that he knew had everything to do with that man.

He had been lost in his thoughts for some time before Ashik joined him, coming to stand beside him. "I could get tired just from watching you work all day long," he teased the Inquisitor. "There's not quite a sight like it – you running around, chatting to people and trying to keep the Inquisition intact."

"I'm glad you approve," Ashik told him mildly, "since you're running around with me half the time."

"And the other half I get to watch you. A fair exchange." Dorian searched his face in the dark and saw a faint shadow in his eyes, subtle enough that anyone else might have missed it. He glanced behind and saw that Cassandra had already retired to her tent and Solas was sitting by the fire with his arms clasped around his staff. The Dalish mage did not even seem aware of anyone else's presence, staring fixedly into the fire. Dorian returned his attention back to Ashik, asking in a soft tone, "But, really. What is on your mind?"

"There was a letter waiting for me from Josephine. She's secured an invitation to the Winter Palace from Grand Duke Gaspard. I think you can guess why he is inviting us and not Empress Celine."

"Ah, because of those dead bodies in the Exalted Plains? That really was the worst bit of adventuring I've ever done aside from that mess in the Fallow Mire. I don't want to go anywhere that the undead are popping up ever again. It's hardly romantic."

"Sweet Maker, you sound like Scout Harding," Ashik laughed. "I'm sure that you will be able to find the romance at the ball, at least. Nothing quite like possible assassinations, backstabbing, and some vicious gossip to put you in the mood, hmm?"

"Sounds exactly like Tevinter. I'm sure my pants will fly right off."

"Let's hope they do in front of the right person."

TBC