Chapter Two
One week earlier...
Looking around, Evelyn couldn't believe what the Knight-Captain had just said. Had he just called her Viscountess? The bowing was too much. She wanted to tell everyone that it was still just her, nobody should be bowing to her. Evelyn asked everyone to please stand, and so they did. She turned around to look at her companions. They were weary, and worse for wear, but they were all still here. Well, everyone except Sebastian. He threw a fit, of course, and she would have to deal with him later. The rest had stood by her and because she had fought with the Templars instead of against them, her friends could stay in the city as long as they liked. They would be safe. Well, most of them. She stared into the eyes of the one person who had lost everything and took a deep breath.
"Knight-Captain?", she asked shakily.
Cullen walked over to her side, never taking his eyes off of her companion. "Yes, your Grace?" He said it as if he were trying to reinforce the idea of her being in charge.
Still staring, she cleared her throat, "Would you please have this man arrested for unlawful destruction of property? Further charges are pending a full assessment of the damage and casualties. Normally I would have Aveline do it, but under the circumstances...," her voice trailed away. She offered the explanation because as Viscountess, in the absence of a Knight-Commander and First Enchanter, she wondered if she even had the authority to ask the Templars to take anyone into custody.
Cullen nodded then motioned for his Lieutenants to proceed. As the Templars grabbed Anders to take him to the gallows, he resisted at first, then seemed to decide that resistance would be futile. Looking at her, his shoulders slumped and he allowed himself to be restrained and led away.
Evelyn closed her eyes and thought about that turn of events. Her first order as Viscountess was to arrest the man who was afforded the benefit of her position as a noble for the last three years.
When she opened her eyes, she looked at the Knight-Captain, trying to hold back her emotions at what she had been forced to do, "Please ensure that all precautions are taken to secure him. I'm sure I don't have to remind you of his history."
One of the reasons Cullen had never pursued an arrest of Anders before was not only because the mage was a former Grey Warden, or even because of the Champion's position, but rather because the Templar was always slightly unsure if the gallows would be able to keep Anders should he decide to attempt an escape. With the general unrest in Kirkwall, the last thing the Knight-Captain needed was a mage proving that the Templars could be outsmarted and the Gallows was not as formidable as it seemed. Anders was helping Ferelden refugees. Not only could Cullen appreciate that, he knew Anders from the Circle in Ferelden and never considered him a major threat.
"Of course," he replied. As an afterthought he added, "His original phylactery would be at Kinlock Hold. I could request that it be sent here or we could make another. Whichever you would prefer, your Grace."
Evelyn looked up at Cullen through watery eyes. She had to get away from here before her emotions totally overwhelmed her. As much as she tried, she always seemed to wear her heart on her sleeve, no matter how much restraint she tried to achieve. She took a deep breath, wiping the tears from her cheeks while cursing to herself about "being soft". She looked at Cullen again, knowing what was at stake as she gave him her answer, "Make three. Let me know when they are done." With that, she turned around and walked home as quickly as she could.