The group approached the rift, which was guarded by the nightmare demon.
Max peered around the corner of a large rock and turned back to his companions, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm in no condition for a fight."
Blackwall nodded, "I agree," He said, "Say, Evelyn, do you think you can do something like what you did before?"
Evelyn nodded, "I can definitely try."
Max nodded, "Evie, go over there create a big explosion, then run back to the platform in front of the rift, then hopefully we can go through. Cole, go with her just in case."
Evelyn and Cole nodded, Cole put a hand on her shoulder and made them invisible. Max waited tensely, and when they heard the explosion, they ran for the rift. Evelyn and Cole were right behind them. Evelyn almost ran into Max when he stopped suddenly.
The Nightmare was right in front of them, blocking the entrance to the rift.
Alistair turned to Max, "This is the Warden's fault, I'll hold it off. You guys go through."
Hawke then turned to Alistair, "You're joking right? I'll stay behind, Corypheus was mine to kill and I failed."
Evelyn then stepped forwards, "No, neither of you are staying behind. You both have people waiting for you to come back!"
"Well then what do you suppose we do?" Hawke asked.
Evelyn turned to face the Nightmare, reached out her arm and shut her eyes. Suddenly a massive fireball flew from her outstretched hand, hitting the demon straight on. It took a few stumbling steps backwards, leaving the way through to the rift clear.
"That works too I guess," Alistair said as they took off running towards the rift.
They lept through and emerged out the other side. They made quick work of the few demons that had gotten out before Max quickly shut the rift.
Evelyn looked around as she heard her name being called, "Lady Trevelyan!" It was Jim, one of Cullen's most trusted people.
"What's going on?" She asked.
Jim whispered into her ear, "The Commander, he's injured, Cassandra and Solas are with him but he won't let anyone touch him."
"Let's go," Evelyn said.
"What's going on Evelyn?" Blackwall asked, noticing the exchange while Max was busy speaking with Hawke and Alistair.
"Cullen needs my help, I'll be nearby if anything comes up," Evelyn told him. He nodded and watched her run off with Jim.
Blackwall felt a twang of guilt, "you are nothing like a Warden" the Nightmare's voice rang in his head again. He had started to think of the Trevelyan siblings like children of sorts, he felt terrible for lying to them.
What they saw in the rift, Evelyn's memories of those men slaughtering the poor children, and the noble Warden's coming to save them. Blackwall was the opposite of what they represented. He wasn't brave, or honest, and it was then that Blackwall knew he had to do the right thing.
...
Evelyn came up upon Cassandra Solas and Cullen, who was sitting against a half-broken wall clutching his side.
"Cullen, what happened?" She asked as she approached.
"He pushed me out of the way of an arrow," Cassandra said through gritted teeth.
Evelyn looked at Solas, "It's not good, he's losing a lot of blood, if we don't do something it won't be long."
"Why are you so stubborn! Let Solas help you!" Cassandra cried.
Cullen was staying silent, and Evelyn looked at him for a moment, "Can you give us a moment?"
Cassandra, Solas and Jim nodded and gathered further away, out of earshot.
"Cullen..." Evelyn knelt beside him.
"My men told me you fell through a rift, and that you took on Corypheus' archdemon alone," Cullen spoke. It was clear he was in pain by the grittiness of his voice.
"We did. Max opened it so that we wouldn't fall to our deaths, we saw... well... I think it was the Divine," Evelyn said. "The Fade was so..." Evelyn shook her head, "I hope I never have to go back."
"The Divine?" Cullen asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"It's a long story," Evelyn said. She looked at his stomach and pressed her hand against his over the wound. "Why won't you let Solas help you?"
Cullen looked her right in the eyes, "I... I'm scared Eve."
"Scared of what? It doesn't hurt I promise. Solas does this all the time," Evelyn said.
"No, not that," Cullen said, and then Evelyn understood.
Cullen used to be a Templar in Ferelden when the mages rebelled there. He was tortured for days on end by the insane mages. During that time, he was also feeling the symptoms of lyrium withdrawal. Evelyn understood that while he was acutely feeling the symptoms of the withdrawal that he wouldn't want anyone to use magic on him.
"I know, but... I'll be right here," Evelyn said, "This isn't worth your life Cullen."
"I know," He gave her a small smile, before speaking again, "When Dorian was injured, you made him fall asleep, would you..."
"Are you sure?" Evelyn asked.
"You're the only one I would trust to do it."
Evelyn smiled lightly at Cullen before running her hand through his hair. A faint blue glow enveloped her hands, "I love you."
Cullen's eyes were already drooping, "I love you too."
Evelyn looked towards Solas and Cassandra, who took that as their cue to return.
"What did you do?" Cassandra asked.
"I just made him fall asleep," She told Cassandra before turning to Solas, "Can you fix all the damage?"
Solas was inspecting the wound, "Yes I believe so, it is not as bad as I was originally expecting."
"Thanks, Solas," Evelyn said with relief.
"Rest my friend, you've had a long day. I'll take care of the Commander," Solas spoke.
Back at Skyhold: Several Days Later...
"You sure you're feeling better?" Evelyn asked, smiling as Cullen kissed her cheek. She was leaning on his desk and he was standing in front of her.
"I'm sure," He said, "Go have fun... and be safe."
"I'm not sure there's much to be worried about, it's just Val Royaux," Evelyn said. She stood and took a few steps towards the door before Cullen grabbed her arm.
"I love you," He said softly.
"I love you too," Evelyn replied. She pecked his lips before slipping past him and leaving his office/room.
She made her way to the stables where she found Maxwell, Cassandra, Solas and Blackwall waiting.
"Ready to go?" Max asked.
"Ready when you are," She said while mounting her horse.
...
Once they reached Val Royaux they went to the main pavilion. There, Josephine's fiance was waiting for them. His name was Lord Otranto, he was a nobleman from Antiva, and apparently, his and Josephine's families knew each other well.
Max approached the man with his friends behind him.
"Lord Ortranto?" He asked, trying to summon all of his authority.
"Ah! Inquisitor Trevelyan! I'm glad you could make it," He spoke arrogantly.
"Lord Otranto, ready to duel?" Max asked.
"Right to business then," He said and gestured to the man behind him. A rapier was thrown to Max, who caught it in midair. "On guard!" He cried.
Max jumped into a crouched stance, "It's a rapier, not a bloody longsword! Stay upright!" Blackwall shouted to Max from beside Evelyn.
Max immediately corrected his posture and parried Otranto back a few steps.
"Very good Inquisitor!" Otranto cried in surprise.
This went on for some time. Max was a remarkable swordsman, but Otranto was truly a master of the rapier. Things were just starting to heat up when suddenly they heard a cry from the crowd.
"Enough! Stop!" It was Josephine. She pushed her way through the crowd and stood between the two men.
"Oh! Lady Josephine, you are even lovelier than they say," Lord Otranto said with a bow.
Max and Josephine sent him sideways glances before they turned to face each other.
"What are you doing!?" She asked him.
"I'm duelling your fiance for your hand," Max said, thinking it was obvious.
"And why would you be doing that?! I told you I would handle it! Why could you not trust that I would fix it?" She demanded.
"Because I love you!" Max cried.
Josephine looked at him with shock, "You do?"
"You do?" Lord Otranto echoed in surprise.
"Of course I do, Josie, I love you so much," Max said and grabbed her hand.
Josephine stepped closer to him and said, "I love you as well."
Max kissed her briefly then rested his forehead on hers.
"Well played Inquisitor," Otranto then spoke, "I forfeit this prize."
Max turned to look at the man "You're just going to give up?"
"Yes, I thought it was merely an affair of passion or convenience, but I am not fool enough to stand in the way of true affection."
"Thank you," Josephine spoke.
Otran simply shook his head, "I know when I am outmatched."
Evelyn looked and Cassandra, who was looking excited at the whole situation. She did love a good romance. Evelyn then turned to Blackwall, who was looking off into the distance sadly.
"Is something wrong Blackwall?" She asked.
Blackwall looked at her hauntedly, "Tell Maxwell I'll be right back, there's something I must do."
Evelyn looked at him with confusion before he turned around and headed off in a specific direction. She noticed that everyone seemed to be caught up in the scene before them, everyone except for Solas and herself.
"Shall we follow our Warden friend?" Solas asked.
Evelyn nodded, "I think we should."
Evelyn and Solas followed Blackwall to a nearby pavilion where it appeared a man was about to be executed.
The man standing beside him told the gathering crowd that he had killed a noble family, including their four children. Suddenly, Blackwall waltzed onto the hanging platform.
"A Grey Warden!" The announcer called.
"What is he doing? Conscripting him?" Evelyn leaned towards Solas and asked quietly.
"I do not know," Solas replied.
"This man is innocent of the crimes laid before him," Blackwall told the crowd. "He simply followed the orders that were given, like any good soldier would. He should not die because of it."
The announcer stepped forwards, "Then find me the man who gave the order."
Blackwall looked out into the crowd and locked eyes with Evelyn. He seemed only mildly surprised that she was there, but he retained eye contact through what he then said.
"My name is not Warden Blackwall," The crowd gasped, "Warden Blackwall died years ago, and I took his name to hide like a coward from who I really am."
The man who was previously going to be executed turned to look at not-Blackwall and said, "You! After all this time..."
Evelyn felt a pit in her stomach, he was lying, he had to be lying.
"I gave the order."
No, Blackwall, no.
"The crime is mine."
Evelyn turned to look at Solas, who looked just as surprised and lost as she did.
"I am Thom Rainier."
not-Blackwall then turned and walked off the platform, escorted by guards, presumably to be taken to some sort of holding cell.
Evelyn looked at Solas, and then both nearly ran to the announcer.
"I cannot believe it, Thom Rainier himself," He muttered happily, "Can I help you with something?" He asked.
Evelyn couldn't speak, so Solas did for her, "What do you know about what will happen to Rainier?"
"I know what everyone knows, that he'll hang for the murder of that noble family."
"Where'd they take him?" Evelyn then asked suddenly.
"In the marketplace jail, it won't be long now..." The man trailed off.
Evelyn and Solas exchanged worried glances.
"Evie! What's going on?" Max then called from across the pavilion.
Evelyn shook her head, "Blackwall isn't- he- He isn't really Blackwall," She tried to explain.
"What?" Max asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"His name is Thom Rainier, he murdered a nobleman and his children and then took Warden Blackwall's identity after he died so he could hide from punishment," Evelyn said.
Max's eyes were wide, "You're kidding me... How do you know this?" He asked.
"There was a man to be executed here today, someone convicted of the murders. Blackw- Rainier, came and owned up to his crimes," Solas spoke and Evelyn nodded.
"Where is he?" Max asked.
"They're holding him in the marketplace jail," Evelyn told him.
Max nodded emptily, "I think I need to speak with this Thom Rainier."
The cells were damp and cold, Evelyn pulled up her shawl around her shoulders more.
"Do you want mine?" Cullen asked from behind her.
"No, I'm fine."
It had been about a week since they found out about Blackwall's deception. Max had spoken to him and hadn't really spoken to anyone else since. Evelyn... well... she just wanted to see what he had to say for himself. He had broken their hearts, all of them. They trusted him, he made them feel like he was family, and he betrayed them.
When Evelyn had come back from Val Royaux she had immediately broken down in Cullen's arms. She had explained what had happened and Cullen was just as shocked. He was a good man, wasn't he? No matter what he was, Cullen saw how much he had hurt Eve, and he was having a hard time believing that she wanted to speak to him after what ha happened.
"Are you sure about this Eve?" Cullen asked again quietly.
Evelyn nodded, "You don't have to be here, I'll be fine."
Cullen shook his head, "No, I'm staying, I don't trust this man with anything anymore."
They quieted as they approached his cell, Blackwall was sitting there, hunched over and shivering.
Evelyn stood in front of the doors, and Cullen a little behind her. He wasn't there to say anything, only to try to understand.
"Did you... kill the real Blackwall?" Evelyn asked.
Blackwall didn't move, not even to look at her, "No," he took a breath, "He wanted to recruit me for the Wardens, but on the way to Weishaupt, we were ambushed. He saved my life, and I took his identity, tried to emulate the man he was."
Evelyn was silent for a moment, "So you really did what that man said, you killed that entire family?"
"Yes, everything he said was true. I gave the orders."
"Why?" Evelyn asked.
"Don't," Blackwall said suddenly and stood and faced her.
Cullen instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword just in case, and Blackwall seemed slightly surprised to see him there.
"Don't try to rationalize what I did, don't try to understand or sympathize, or anything. I deserve to hang for this and I will."
Evelyn took a step back, and Cullen took a step forwards.
"This is what I am. A liar and a murderer!"
Evelyn looked at him with glassy eyes, "Max and my father were never close," Evelyn said. Both Cullen and Blackwall looked at her with confusion, but she continued. "A few months ago, Max told me that he viewed you as a father figure to him. And I couldn't have agreed more. You were everything we never had, supportive, funny, kind..." Evelyn paused, "When my father found out I was a mage he paid the Templars a lot of money to take me to Kirkwall, I was betrayed and hurt, and every awful thing that ever happened to me was because of him. But what you did... what you did was a thousand times worse..."
Evelyn shook her head and left, leaving Cullen and Blackwall staring at each other.
"You broke their hearts, both of them. I don't know what Maxwell is going to do with you, but I hope you know the pain you've caused," Cullen said. He then left and followed after Evelyn. She was waiting for him outside the jail, wiping her cheeks.
"Are you alright?" Cullen asked.
Evelyn sniffed and nodded, "How could he do that?"
Cullen hugged her tightly and rubbed circles on her back, "I don't know... I don't know."
The day Blackwall arrived in Skyhold for judgement was a sombre one. The great hall was silent as guards escorted him to Maxwell for judgement.
"For your judgement today... is Thom Rainier, he, well, you know what he's done," Josephine said.
Max nodded and stared at Blackwall as he approached, Max rubbed his forehead, "I wasn't expecting this to be easy, but... it's more difficult than I was expecting."
Blackwall looked at him, "I'm sorry, another thing to atone for."
Max looked back, before looking to his left where Josephine was standing and to his right where Evelyn and Cullen were. He took a deep breath, "I've thought a lot about this," He paused. "And you have your freedom."
Blackwall's eyes widened, "It cannot be that simple."
"It isn't," Max explained, "You are free to atone for what you have done, as the man you are, not as the traitor you thought you were, or the Warden you pretended to be."
"The man I am?" Blackwall asked, "I don't even know him, but he- I... have a lot to make up for." Maxwell nodded and sent a glance at Evelyn before turning back to Blackwall. "If my future is mine, then I pledge it to the Inquisition. My sword is yours," Blackwall said. "If I had said any different, would an arrow from the tower have snuffed me like a candle?"
Max cracked a slight smile, "Certainly," He stood, "Take your post... Rainier."
