Chapter 51: The Last Dance
The Masquerade was quickly turning into a massacre.
Panicked nobles struggled to flee as their guards rushed to keep them safe. Inquisition soldiers attempted to create a perimeter around the non-combatants, to prevent the Venatori fighters from taking hostages or simply killing because they had no way out and preferred to do damage before they fell.
Several nobles had been trampled to death early in the fight, blood, wigs, and broken masks littered the area where the Venatori first revealed themselves. Younger nobles, few who had only just begun their years of serving the empire in combat tried to aid the Inquisition while, the older nobles fell back to wait and see what came of this latest insanity.
Many likely watched, waiting to see if any of their rivals would be killed in the fighting between the Inquisition and their enemies. The game remained in effect, despite the Grand Duchess' orders to her fellow cultists.
Some might call such ideas cruel and opportunistic, but they were not members of the court.
It might have been cruel and opportunistic, but that was the point.
It was the game.
This…was Orlais.
IOI
"JOSIEEEEE!"
Yvette's panicked cries caused Josephine to turn just in time. A Venatori swordsman had managed to make it passed their soldiers; he was targeting random nobles, trying to spread chaos.
His eyes had fallen on the Montilyet sister's next, perhaps he recognized the Ambassador's Inquisition uniform, or maybe Yvette's shriek had attracted him, whatever the reason, the result would be the same.
Their lives were in danger.
She did not dare glance back at her younger sister, if she did, the Tevinter would charge and then it would likely be over for both of them. She might have been able to dodge, get to safety, but she would not be able to protect her sister if she did that. Yvette annoyed her, she could definitely be a pain, but that did not mean that she did not love her.
No…she had to protect Yvette.
Yvette was family!
Josephine picked up a dagger from the ground, likely dropped by one of the combatants, the Venatori sneered at her, he could no doubt see how horribly out of practice she was with any edged weapon.
When she was younger, Josephine had toyed with the more brutal aspects of the game, but had long since abandoned that part of her life. Words had always been her best weapon, and she knew how to use them well.
The Ambassador frowned.
Words would not save her here.
The Venatori spat something in Tevinter and lunged, trying to get past her, drawn no doubt by Yvette's panic.
Josephine attempted to parry his lunge, but he was far stronger than she, he struck her in the head with an armored elbow, driving her to her knees, stars exploded before the Ambassador's eyes. Yvette screamed her name, and the Venatori turned, likely sensing an easy kill while Josephine was stunned.
He underestimated her, as many did during negotiations, Josephine had made her reputation by her enemies underestimating her, when she had first gotten started in politics, all they saw was this slip of an Antivan girl, they did not see the strength hidden behind her noble facade.
Like those past enemies, the cultist paid for that.
She had not dropped her dagger.
Josephine lunged upward, the Venatori was not wearing heavy armor, but she struck like he was, she plunged her dagger under his raised arm, stabbing him viciously, once, twice, three times.
The Venatori stumbled past Yvette and collapsed against one of the lion statues that dotted the ballroom. He slid gasping down the wall, blood pumping from under his arm.
The Venatori would be dead in moments.
Josephine collapsed, the world starting to slip away, the pain in her head too much to bear.
"Josie," she heard Yvette whimper, her sister held her in her arms.
"Josie please don't die," her sister whimpered.
Had she not felt so terrible Josephine might have rolled her eyes, Yvette was always so dramatic.
I hit my head, it wasn't like I was…was…
The pain was too much.
Josephine fell into the darkness.
IOI
"FOR THE INQUISITOR!"
Leliana's battle cry rang out over the shrieks and panicked cries. The spymaster was in familiar territory now. Two curved daggers gripped firmly in her hands, she ducked, parried and slashed at the much slower cultists. She fired a vicious thrust kick into the head of one attacker snapping his neck and sending him flipping over the bannister onto the dance floor. She ducked the swing of another, sheathing her daggers before seizing his shoulders and vaulting over him, she got behind her opponent and snapped his neck with a lethal twist. She pulled her daggers again and looked for another attacker.
Her eyes narrowed at the sight before her.
The Venatori had superior numbers but now that the nobles had gotten back the better trained Inquisition forces were starting to turn the tide. They were…
"FOR THE DALES!"
Leliana glanced up.
Elves flooded in from the courtyard, some still clad in servants' guises, they were armed with short swords bows and axes.
The spymaster spotted Ambassador Briala leading the charge, bow in hand. She was about to order the Inquisition to intervene, when she saw the elven woman shoot.
Her arrow struck a Venatori menacing a wounded Inquisition soldier in the eye; the man fell without a sound.
"DEATH TO TEVINTER!" the elven Ambassador shouted, "FOR ORLAIS!"
Leliana almost laughed.
Briala's people were aiding them!
The tide turned completely then.
The Venatori began to fall back; they were pushed away from the fleeing nobles as the elves and Inquisition forces began box them into a smaller and smaller corner of the ballroom. A few of the fanatics tried to surrender, but they were cut down by elven or Inquisition blades.
Leliana frowned but said nothing.
Many of the men and women the Inquisition had brought here had been at Haven, they had been waiting to pay the Venatori back since the fall of the village.
She was not about to intervene.
So be it, she thought.
No prisoners.
No mercy.
"Inquisition bitch!"
She turned; a wounded Tevinter was lunging towards her. He had been playing dead when she passed.
Now he snarled, looking for vengeance for the fall of his allies, perhaps seeking some reward from his god in the next world?
She did not have time to dodge, she tried to catch him, use his own momentum against him, just like Marjolaine had taught her all those years ago.
In the end, she did not need to.
An arcane bolt struck the Tevinter in the chest, emerald light limed his body. The man wailed as the spell burned through him. He seemed to age a hundred years in seconds. His skin dried out, his hair became dust, as his dried out skin split. When the magic faded, the man was nothing but a skeleton wearing noble clothing; the bones collapsed turning to dust as they struck the marble floor.
The spymaster shuddered.
A horrible way to die, she thought, but also…quite familiar.
Leliana frowned.
The last time she had seen that spell cast had been during the Siege of Denerim, she had watched as an ogre turned to ash right before her eyes.
This was not circle magic.
"You still get distracted during large battles," a familiar voice cooed, "Tis most disturbing, I thought you would have learned."
She turned.
The woman who had saved her was no Orlesian, pale skinned, raven hair pulled in the style she had always favored, the same cold mirth shown in those golden eyes.
Morrigan smirked at her.
"Elissa would have been most displeased if she could have seen that?"
Anger flashed in the spymaster's eyes.
Morrigan had no right to speak of Elissa, not after what she had asked of her in Redcliffe, not after what she had asked of Alistair. The witch was…was…
Leliana sagged.
The witch had saved her life, again.
It was most annoying.
She buried her rage, for now.
There would be time to settle old scores later, now it was time to save the empire.
She regarded her old companion, the bard in her noticing the dark velvet gown, the gold embroidery.
A hint of a smile came to the spymaster's face.
"I always thought you would look good in velvet," she commented.
Morrigan shrugged.
"Your prattling during the Blight did have some uses," the witch replied.
Leliana turned daggers in hand.
"We still have enemies to deal with," she hissed.
"Indeed," the witch said. She gestured, and a familiar looking staff appeared in her hand, likely the same one that Morrigan had carried during their travels.
Leliana shivered.
Again she found herself fighting on the same side as Morrigan. It was unnerving, but at the same time comforting.
She knew what the witch was capable of now. She was not same girl she had been a decade ago, she had changed.
The spymaster smiled slightly.
Maker save the witch if she pushed her…
…Because no one else would.
IOI
Ana continued her pursuit of the Grand Duchess, the bitch had retreated deeper into the gardens, several bodyguards and even a harlequin tried to block the Inquisitor's path.
She had struck them all down viciously.
She was tired of games; it was time to end this charade.
It was time for blood.
The sound of booted footsteps behind her made her pause. She put her back to one of the statues to prevent anyone from coming up behind her.
Cassandra and the others came into view; the Seeker was glaring daggers at her.
The cold look was enough to even give the Inquisitor pause.
Uh oh.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?" the Seeker growled, "RUNNING OFF ALONE!"
Ana winced, but did not reply, she knew that Cassandra was right, she had let her temper get the best of her. She had leapt without looking…
It could very well of cost her. She could have lost her life.
"Sorry," she grumbled.
Cassandra shook her head, but did not berate her further. Ana might be Inquisitor now, but that did not mean that she did not value her mentor's opinion.
The Seeker helped keep her grounded. She needed that.
It helped keep her honest.
"Cullen is securing the ballroom now," Cassandra reported, "Briala's people are helping him; we will have the Venatori mopped up in under an hour."
Ana gave her a worried look.
"The Empress?" she asked.
"Safe," her teacher responded.
Ana smiled slightly.
Then there was only one last piece of business to attend to then, one last dance of the evening.
"Be on your guard," she warned her allies, "Florianne should be just up ahead."
Varric hoisted Bianca into firing position while Vivienne murmured a spell to bolster their speed and strength.
The Inquisitor nodded.
She turned sword and shield at the ready.
It was time to end this; she was looking forward to that.
IOI
The group came to a large fountain in the middle of the gardens; its high walls hid much of the winter palace from their eyes. Florianne's trail had led here. They had found her gown abandoned a few steps away from the entrance. Varric had chuckled about the fact that they might be fighting a naked Duchess, but Ana had not laughed.
Too much blood had been spilled tonight already, both soldier and servant, she was eager to see the bitch answer for that.
"Oh, Inquisitor?"
Ana spun weapons at the ready.
Florianne stood atop the fountain, dressed in her mask and a set of fine black leathers, a long bow in hand an arrow notched and ready.
An arrow pointed straight at Ana's chest.
The Inquisitor glared at the woman.
"Surrender Florianne," she shouted, "You have nowhere else to go!"
The Orlesian laughed bitterly.
"I did not think it possible," she said with a pout, "The world should have been mine. I planned everything, everything, it perfect detail, and to be undone, but some marcher bitch, a thief and mistake, it is quite mortifying."
The grand duchess shook her head.
"I am disgraced because of you," she said morosely, "All that will be written of Florianne de Chalons will be epitaph, a defenseless woman killed in the gardens by the Inquisitor."
Ana laughed.
"Defenseless woman? Really? You were about to assassinate your own Empress, and if that wasn't enough…"
The Inquisitor motioned with her sword and the Grand Duchess' armor.
"Pink bows?" she said, "On a battle suit? Really?"
"Ugh," Cassandra said rolling her eyes at the Inquisitor's comment. Vivienne smirked, and Varric chuckled.
The Grand Duchess merely shrugged.
"Just because something is dangerous does not mean that it can't be beautiful," she replied, "A person deserves to see some beauty before they die."
The iron gate behind the Inquisitor and her fellows slammed shut. The harlequins that did it scaled the walls easily and joined their mistress.
Ana frowned.
It seemed that the Grand Duchess would not go quietly.
Good.
"I am lost, inquisitor," Florianne said coldly, "But I can still have some measure of vengeance by killing you, it will not give back what you have taken from me, but…some victory is better than none."
The Grand Duchess smirked.
"It is so good that you decided to attend my final soiree."
Florianne fired.
Ana brought up her shield, it dented the surface but did not penetrate it.
The Grand Duchess' Venatori allies emerged from the shadows. Cassandra and Ana met them head on, while Varric and Vivienne tried to harry Florianne, keep her from getting an easy killshot on a distracted opponent.
Ana hated to admit it, but she had eyes for one single opponent.
She wanted to get her hands on the Grand Duchess.
The Venatori fell quickly under their blades, spells, and bolts. The Grand Duchess bounced around like a ball, firing where she could, using her dagger to keep Ana and her allies back. She used the fountain as high ground, keeping them off balance.
It was clear that the woman had had at least some bardic training, but that did not surprise Ana, according to Leliana, such a thing was to be expected. Nobles wished to know that their children could handle themselves both physically and mentally in the game. It was rumored that Celene herself had been trained as a bard in her youth.
The Inquisitor shook her head.
These were the people she wanted for her allies, people who had no problem turning their sons and daughters into trained spies and assassins? Orlais was supposed to be the center of culture, knowledge, and music in Thedas, yet still this barbarism remained…
Still she could not damn an entire people for the games of their leaders. She could only try to be an example of something better.
One day, perhaps, the Orlesians would find a better way.
It was a hope, a slim one, but it was there.
That was all she could cling to.
Florianne exhausted both her allies and her arrows. Slowly the Inquisition began to tighten the noose. Vivienne blasted the Grand Duchess from her perch; she rolled to her feet and drew her daggers. Cassandra cut her off from the exit preventing her from vaulting over the wall and escaping.
The Grand Duchess threw some kind of powder; Cassandra blocked most of it with her shield, but still ended up coughing.
Florianne went in for the kill.
Ana was there.
She pushed the Grand Duchess back. Florianne fought back savagely, but it was clear she was unused to extended physical combat. The woman was tiring.
The Inquisitor was far better conditioned.
Florianne likely knew that, which explained what happened next.
The Grand Duchess drew a small flask from her belt; she got inside Ana's guard trying to break it on her chest plate.
The Inquisitor back pedaled. Florianne tried to lunge back into range.
Ana caught her.
She raised her burning blade and let momentum do the rest.
Florianne gasped in shock and pain, the flask fell from her fingers it shattered hissing on the grass melting it and the very ground with it.
Florianne stood before her, impaled through the chest, she looked down at the wound, blood leaked from her mouth, as a single tear fell from her eye.
Florianne gave Ana one last sad smile.
"Praise…Corypheus," she murmured.
The Grand duchess sank to the ground. Ana kicked her body off her blade; the Grand Duchess struggled for life for a few more fleeting moments, and then finally fell still.
Even behind the mask, she could see the woman's eyes had turned glassy…empty.
The Grand Duchess was gone.
Ana stared down at her in pity, poor, stupid woman.
She shook her head.
"Game over," she whispered.
IOI
It took almost an hour for the Inquisition and their allies to restore order. None of the Tevinters from the ballroom had escaped, but it was likely that a few had chosen not to reveal themselves and were no doubt right now fleeing back to the safety of their own allies, and to give their master the bad news.
Iron Bull and his chargers were watching the roads, and Harding's people were watching the wilderness, between them Ana hoped to capture a prisoner or two, get an idea of how far Corypheus' influence had spread in the royal court.
Ana knew that that would need to take priority tomorrow, but for now…she just wished for a moment to think, to recover.
After everything that had happened tonight, she thought she deserved it.
A few minutes ago, she had stood beside Empress Celene as the monarch declared the civil war over, and the Inquisition now…allies of the empire. The Empress no doubt had much to give the Inquisition, not just the freedom to move across her empire, but resources that Skyhold could most definitely need.
Josephine had called it a major victory, of course that might have been the bump on her head talking. Leliana seemed pleased that they had diverted this crisis, even though Ana had taken a different route than she had expected.
Celene was alive, and the Empire was once again stable, some might even say that Ana had won this round of the game, but the Inquisitor knew better.
There were no winners in the game, only survivors. Ana had survived, many others had not.
Fourteen nobles had been killed during the fighting in the ballroom, along with twenty Inquisition soldiers, four of them slain by the Grand Duchess herself. Florianne had died in disgrace her name would be erased from the court, and she would be known only as a common traitor. As for the House of Chalons, it was pretty much history too. Ana had collected more than enough evidence to damn the Grand Duke for treason, even if he had not known about his sister's plans. Gaspard had not resisted when the royal guard had taken him into custody. He was to be executed for his attempted treason, and for aiding his sister in her plot to murder Celene. The Grand Duke said little in his defense; he understood the rules of the game, and what would happen if he had lost.
He accepted those consequences, with the grace of his station.
As for Briala, the elven Ambassador was rewarded for her role in protecting the empress. Celene had stood before the court and proclaimed the elf Marquise of the Dales. Briala had spoken with great fire and conviction after this, promising to stand beside not just the Inquisition, but beside the empire in its quest to rout the Venatori.
Celene watched the speech with barely disguised fondness. Ana suspected that the two nobles would likely renew their relationship in the coming days. Love was a hard thing to come by when you held a position of power.
She hoped that Celene and Briala would find all the happiness that they deserved.
Vivienne believed that the court would not approve of the elf's appointment for long, it would likely lead to problems down the road. Ana preferred to have faith in the two lovers, Celene was no fool and neither was Briala.
If anyone could make this work, they could.
As for the testimony of that elven agent Ana had discovered in the royal wing, she held onto it. Leliana had already removed the girl to safety. The Inquisitor had no intention of blackmailing the new Marquise, but she would be a fool to throw away leverage that might come in handy later. For now, it was enough that Briala knew that the girl was beyond her reach.
It would keep matters…cordial between the two of them.
Ana shook her head. She did not have to like the game, but at least she knew how to play it.
She had sought solitude after the announcement, wishing to get away from all the fawning and false smiles. It was then that Morrigan had joined her, to give her some more news.
The witch had, by imperial decree, been named liaison to the Inquisition.
The news pleased Ana, Morrigan might be as self-serving as Leliana claimed, but she would rather have the witch in a position where she could watch her rather than have her whispering to the Empress from within the walls of the Imperial Palace. In Skyhold, the Inquisitor could keep an eye on her. Leliana did not like it, but understood the value of the choice.
Morrigan had helped stop the Blight; she had influence because of that, influence that made her a wild card in this war.
She preferred the woman be an ally, rather than an enemy.
Ana sighed, she lightly rapped on the stone railing of the balcony, trying not to think of all the blood that had been spilled tonight.
She had survived the night, and won a victory of sorts for the Inquisition.
Was that not worthy of celebrating?
The empire was at peace and stable.
Celene and her love were reunited, and the Inquisition had given the Venatori a very bad bloody nose.
What more could she have asked for?
"Um…Inquisitor?"
Ana blinked, Cullen stood before her; the commander appeared no worse the wear considering what they had been through tonight. A few blood stains on his jacket, a slight tear in his trousers.
He had come out much better than many here tonight.
Cullen's expression was warm, far warmer than what she was used to.
She swallowed hard, trying very hard not to look nervous.
"Is…um….is everything all right commander?"
He laughed nervously.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," he admitted, "After seeing you take off after the Duchess…I…I…"
He shook his head, she might have been wrong by he might have been blushing slightly.
It made her heart skip a beat.
"Maker…I'm no good at this," he said grimly, "Are you alright?"
She gave him a wry smile.
"It is has been a very long night," she sighed, "But at least we got what we set out to do, Celene is safe, and the empire is stable."
She looked away from him then, she worried her lower lip with her teeth.
Cullen frowned.
"But you are still not pleased?" He said.
She nodded.
"Somebody had to lose tonight, Leliana was not wrong about that," she murmured, "Gaspard might not have been helping the Venatori, but he was still planning a coup. I should not feel bad about the fall of his house but I do…"
She shook her head.
"He could have been a good ally. Celene and Briala will be useful; I won't doubt that, but still…"
The inquisitor sighed.
"I can't save everyone can I?"
Cullen frowned.
"No," he replied, "You can't."
He stood beside Ana then, just the two of them, staring out into the night; it was a beautiful evening, so far removed from the violence here on the ground.
They had won a battle today, both of them knew that, but that was all it was…a battle.
The war was yet to be decided.
Behind them, the band had taken up playing again, the ball was over, but music could go a long way to calm frayed nerves.
The court likely needed that right now, and so did Ana…truth be told.
Cullen moved his hand over hers; his callused fingers gently stroked the back of her hand.
She would be lying if she said that she did not like it, his touch was so gentle, like warm oil sending sweet bolts of pleasure up her arm.
She coughed nervously.
"Wild party, huh?" she said.
He chuckled lightly.
"Indeed," he admitted, "I…ah…Inquisitor?"
"Yes, Commander?"
"May…I…ah…um…ask you something?"
Ana blushed slightly.
"Yes."
Cullen smiled at held up his hand.
"May I have this dance?"
She hiccupped at that.
He…he was asking her…her to dance? Something within her shrieked with joy! She knew she had promised herself that she would stay away, but he…they…
She…Cullen…he was…
OH MY!
The Commander was definitely blushing now, and she realized he was not alone.
Her face had likely turned a rosy shade of scarlet too.
"This…this is a ball after all," he admitted, "I would hate to think I missed the chance to dance with the hero of the hour."
She giggled and took his hand.
Cullen pulled her to him, his hand drifted down to the small of her waist.
She smiled shyly at him.
He looked away with a chuckle.
"I'm not very good at this," he confessed, "I…um…I'll try not to step on your feet."
She laughed lightly at that.
"Just follow my lead commander," she said with a smirk.
She rested her head on his shoulder, she sighed happily as they began to whirl together.
He leaned into her, smelling her hair, enjoying the softness of her skin.
Follow her lead, she had said.
He could do that, he knew, he would do that…
He closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.
He would follow her lead…
…Always.
A/N: For those of you that are curious, Ana's mother will be showing up at Skyhold soon, hope you have all enjoyed the winter palace, but more fireworks are still to come. Next chapter…a kiss…nuff said.
DG