Chapter 71: Siblings
"Val Royeaux?"
Andreas blushed and shrugged.
"It…um…seems like a good idea. You get a chance to get away from Skyhold and all the fighting, but at the same time, further the Inquisition's ends."
He shrugged again.
"It worked for Elizabeth and Miles," he said, "They came back from visiting Val Royeaux a happy couple, why not you and your…well…your lover."
Ana gave it a bit of thought. It would be nice to get away, but it would take a bit of work convincing Cullen to join her. She could order him directly of course, but…
She glanced at her brother; he refused to meet her gaze. The rosiness of his cheeks was undeniable.
Ana tried to remain serious, after all she had come to him for advice, but his reaction…
The Inquisitor smirked.
It was priceless.
"Why are you blushing?"
He gave her a defensive look. It reminded her a bit of when they were small. Andreas had lost one of Father's quills; it had been gold, a gift from the Grand Cleric.
He wore that same look now.
"I'm not."
"Certainly, looks that way from here."
Andreas snorted; he stood up a little taller in a way that reminded her a bit of mother.
He pinned her with that same disapproving stare.
"You asked for my advice, and I have given it, just be aware sister, helping you find a way to have "alone time" with your lover is a little out of my…expertise."
He sighed and shook his head.
"Anastasia," he said, "Ana…I…maybe I'm not the best person to ask about this. Surely someone else here in Skyhold could have provided you with better answers. One of your disciples, perhaps…"
The Inquisitor frowned.
It is not as easy as that brother," she said, "This is not just something I can discuss with one of my inner circle. I'm…I have to keep up appearances, for the sake of the Inquisition if nothing else."
She gave him a sad look.
"And as for my "Disciples" I try to avoid that word. There are too many people out there already who identify me with Andraste. If those people start seeing my advisors as disciples, they might start thinking me Andraste's equal. That is not an idea that I wish to spread. I have a hard enough time keeping my feet on the ground. I don't need the extra pressure.
Her brother nodded, though she could not say if he understood completely what she was trying to tell him. As the herald she had worked hard to establish who she was. It was necessary if they were to continue the war, and keep the faithful on their side.
The Inquisition could not afford to lose that support.
She could not afford it.
Ana frowned, she and Andreas had been talking for about four hours now. Her brother mentioned that the University of Orlais had sent him requests for an interview with her. Unfortunately for him, this talk had gone beyond being just a simple…interview, but to his credit he had not once tried to stop her when she had offered him too much information.
He was still her brother after all. It was nice to know that she could still come to her big brother when she was troubled. They might be only a year apart, but sometimes that seemed like the difference between night and day with her and Andreas.
She was grateful that he had let her get everything she needed to say off her chest, especially everything that was going on with her…relationship issues.
He had sat at listened patiently as she spoke about…well…everything. The Conclave, the Hinterlands, the boy in the blue robes, that dark future she had seen, Haven, Crestwood, she had even spoke a little about Cullen.
Okay, maybe talking about Cullen with her brother had not been the best of ideas, but what else could she do…?
It was not like she had many options here. She trusted Andreas, and knew he could be discreet, when it came to family matters anyway. As much as she trusted her friends in her inner circle, she suspected that that little conversation would not end in discretion, not given the size of Skyhold.
Vivienne was hopefully the only one to really know what was going on. The mage was extremely…observant. Leliana no doubt knew, but the spymaster had other things on her plate than Ana's feelings for Cullen. So far, she had chosen to stay out of it, thank the Maker.
Vivienne supported her pursuit of Cullen early on; the mage thought it a very clever move in the grand scheme of things. She had even offered advice. The most recent example being that the Inquisitor visit a certain shop in Val Royeaux, a place that specialized in…how did the Enchantress put it…? A place that specialized in selling the most intriguing of unmentionables, lingerie that had a reputation for firing a man's blood. Ana had balked at the suggestion, but Vivienne was undeterred.
"You will thank me for this one day, my dear, and your dear Cullen will most definitely be grateful when he sees the results."
Ana pretended not to be interested, but she could not deny a sense of curiosity. Perhaps she would take the woman's advice after all. Her brother knew much, if he thought making a trip to Val Royeaux would be a good idea, perhaps Madame Vivienne was right.
Perhaps the two of them did need to get away, and it was not like that the Inquisitor could not find some kind of Inquisition business needing to be done in the capitol.
Having her brother agree with one of her advisors was better than having him dispute them all.
She knew the others quirks and agendas, such knowledge invited caution, but…?
No, Andreas was the best possible choice, even if the topic did make him a little…uncomfortable.
That likely explained her brother's slight blush. Now that she thought about it he probably didn't want to hear how she wanted to get the Commander alone, away from all the duty and the business of running this Inquisition. It wasn't dirty…okay, to be honest it might become dirty if they did manage to get alone.
That would be nice.
Still, Andreas had proved a useful sounding board today, even if some of the topics they discussed did make him blush.
Andreas was not the most comfortable around people, he preferred his books and libraries. Lizzy certainly never went to him for advice on such things, and mother's advice only covered what was good for their family.
She sighed.
Talking to him about Cullen, It might have been a little inappropriate, but what else could she do…?
He did ask her to tell him everything, didn't he?
In the middle of their conversation, the servants had brought her mid-day meal. She requested that they bring extra for Andreas, if he was going to listen to her vent at least she could do was offer him food. He nodded gratefully and accepted her offer. Once the servants were gone they had picked up where they left off. It was…kind of surprising actually.
This was likely the longest conversation the two of them had ever had. Back in Ostwick they had both been so busy, he with his studies, she with living down the Trevelyan name and reputation. Even family dinners did not lead too much in the way of conversation. Most of those meals had been dominated by their mother making…suggestions on how best for her three children to advance the cause of their family.
She had known little about her brother's studies, and he had little interest in sword play, or whatever else had struck her fancy at the time. She hated to admit it, but she had been a bit of a dabbler back then, exploring many different things, tactics, history, swordplay, anything but what her mother expected her to learn. Andreas had been fascinated with mathematics, science, political models, something he could work with to advance their family's prestige, which was likely why mother had not pawned him off to some noble girl who he had nothing in common with, if Andy had come up with something good, it would have advanced House Trevelyan greatly.
The thought made her almost chuckle now.
Perhaps she and Andreas had more in common that she had realized, both had been searching for something, but neither had really had a chance to grasp that, Mother, who they both loved, tended to dominate that little world, with Lizzy not far behind.
Now they were both free of the world of House Trevelyan, out of that gilded cage so to speak.
Now, they both had a chance to see the real world.
Somethings she could not discuss openly with him of course, the new war plans and such, but the recent history of the Inquisition didn't hurt anybody. Her brother was fascinated with her adventures in Ferelden, no doubt he had heard at least some of this, but likely so embellished that only a few grains of truth remained in those tales.
As a self-professed Scholar, Andreas Trevelyan welcomed whatever it was she had to say.
Early on, their discussion had turned to the anchor, the mark on her hand. Her brother had wanted to examine it up close, but found it difficult to express the topic. Ana had taken to wearing a glove on the marked hand, not because she was embarrassed by it, but because the glove hid the glow when she was out and about, most people did not know her on sight, not when she was out of her armor, and not carrying her sword, that could be useful when moving about through Skyhold.
After a bit of prodding, she showed him what he sought.
He was gentle in performing his examination, clucking softly to himself as he inspected the glowing mark.
"So this is it," he murmured, "The famed mark of our prophet, the symbol of your right to rule."
Ana fidgeted.
It was not widely circulated that Corypheus had claimed to have created the mark. Leliana's doing no doubt, protecting the image of the Herald of Andraste. Of course, at this point, most would likely not believe the Elder One's tale. She had done so much since the Conclave. It was like Mother Giselle had said.
The Greater their trials, the more their challenges seemed preordained, and Ana the holy champion that just might save them from those challenges.
Andy did not ask about the mark's creation, so she, of course, said nothing, it seemed safer that way. Better not to get tongues wagging in the halls of the University of Orlais.
She was grateful when he finally released her hand and she was able to slip it back into her glove.
Out of sight.
Out of mind.
IOI
The servants eventually came to clear the table; Ana returned to her work desk and invited Andy to have a seat.
He accepted readily, no doubt hoping to get a chance to see the Inquisitor at work.
She however had other ideas.
She smiled at him.
"You've listened to me natter on for hours now," she began, "But…you have said little about yourself, what has been going on in your life since I left Ostwick.
Andreas looked down, embarrassed.
"You know me sister, always studying something or another."
"Has everything been alright? Skyhold is not Ostwick."
"You have nothing to worry on that point, sister. So much is happening here, the future of this age is being written…"
He smirked at her.
"Trust me, as far as hostage situations go, this one is not bad."
She winced at the word.
"I'm sorry for that; it seemed like the best way to keep our enemies away from the family."
"I understand sister, we all make sacrifices, this is mine, besides…"
He chuckled.
"It is not like you have locked me in a dungeon and chained me to a wall."
She smirked at that.
"We will save that for when Lizzy comes to visit."
That made them both chuckle.
Despite their differences, they both still enjoyed annoying their older sister.
Her brother sat back, he pursed his lips in thought.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"No, not really, I just thought you might want to know about Maxwell."
Ana's brow furrowed.
"Has he done something wrong?"
"Depends on who you ask," he replied.
The Inquisitor frowned.
Andy continued.
"He has…um…been spending a lot of time with your Ambassador. I know that is not a crime, but…"
Her brother sighed.
"You know how he is around women, he has always known what to say, and…well…"
Ana nodded.
Yes, she had heard the tales about her Cousin Max, not all of them good.
Maxwell might have been a mage, but that did not mean that he was above getting into…mischief when it came to highborn girls.
"Your spymaster has inquired on his intentions. I promised to speak to him, but you know how some people are, they don't want you meddling in their personal business.
She nodded.
"Yes, I know."
Ana sighed.
She would speak with Leliana and with Josephine. Leliana was protective of her close friends. It was better to head this off before it turned into a scandal.
"I will look into it, brother."
"Thank you, sister."
She smiled then.
"Sounds like Max is having fun, what about you?"
Andy blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes you, any young ladies catch the fancy of the brother of the Herald of Andraste?"
His blush darkened.
"You…um…you know me…I've…I've never been good at that sort of thing."
"It is not a matter of being good. It is a matter of the heart."
Her brother sighed, and shook his head.
"There are…several young women here who have asked about me, but…how can I know if they are actually asking about me, or because I'm the Inquisitor's brother."
He snorted.
"I'm out of Lizzy and Mother's shadow…and into yours."
Ana pursed her lips.
"Never thought that would happen," she confessed.
He gave her a wan smile.
"I'm used to it."
She reached out and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He took her fingers in his.
"You're not alone here, you know that?"
Once again, he looked away from her.
"I…I know…but…"
Ana said nothing.
What could she say?
She knew what her brother was going through, and like her, he would have to work through it himself. Skyhold was not the worst place to do that. The world and its many opportunities were here. It was here that the battle against darkness would be fought, and won…
If they were going to find their way back to the light, they all had to walk their own path.
She had found her way, even if she did not survive it, it was hers.
Andreas would now have to find his.
She gave his hand another warm squeeze.
"Thank you for listening to me, brother. Thank you for your advice."
Andreas shook his head. He likely did not see how he had helped her, it might take time until he was able to truly see, but in time, he would.
He smiled back.
"You're welcome, sister."