To introduce the first viewpoint of this chapter, Duke Prosper de Montfort was not killed in my AU. In Spells, Caitlyn (with some help from Fenris) identified Tallis as a Ben-Hassrath spy, turned her in, got intelligence about Elthina's treason from her, and the party at Chateau Haine occurred without incident. I've since decided that Prosper did hunt down many of the Qunari spies in Orlais whose names he had. (Of course, there would be new ones sent to replace them, given what occurs in Trespasser.)
Chapter 8: The Demon We Know
Chateau Haine.
Duke Prosper de Montfort was making his announcement from an unusual location, and he knew very well the political implications that would be inferred into his choice of venue. That was fine. He had chosen to announce from Chateau Haine in the Free Marches, rather than Montfort in Orlais, for a reason.
The vacation home of the Duke had not always belonged to the Montfort family. It had been built in 4:90 Black Age for Lord Norbert de la Haine, an Orlesian noble who sought to use the fortress as a base for his ambition to take over the Free Marches—the western areas of which were then part of the Empire, so his actions were considered treasonous against his sovereign.
Duke Prosper appreciated the irony of that history at this moment. It was eminently appropriate, really... but he was not quite ready to show his hand fully. Before he could reveal his cards, he first needed an opening, an opportunity—either to seize one the instant it appeared or to create one himself. At the moment, there were no obvious opportunities in the Free Marches.
Prosper had no desire to depose Caitlyn Hawke in Kirkwall. Indeed, she was the linchpin of the Marcher unity movement, and a genius to finally make Marcher unity feasible by having it as "treaty-bound mutual defense but individual sovereignty." The last time the region had been legally united was when it was part of the Empire ages ago. When Hawke announced her Vimmark-Minanter Treaty, most of Duke Prosper's fellow Orlesian nobles had scoffed and laughed, convinced that the uncivilized ex-provincials couldn't possibly unite behind one of their own and that the only form of regional unity they were capable of was as submissive colonies of the Orlesian Empire.
Duke Prosper had not laughed. Hawke had come to his annual wyvern hunt in late Dragon 9:34 with the report that a Ben-Hassrath had attempted to infiltrate—but that instead Hawke had used the spy to depose the Grand Cleric of Kirkwall, had replaced her with an anti-Qunari priest of her own choice, had become Champion of Kirkwall by defeating the Arishok and ousting the Qunari, and would soon become Viscountess... as a mage. She had, almost immediately after returning to Kirkwall. After that, he had followed her career as a ruler and a commander closely. He knew what she was capable of and was vindicated as her VMTO came into being. No one was laughing now.
Anyhow, Hawke was an ally to cultivate, not a rival to attack. Markham and Hercinia also had longtime allies of hers as rulers. She had turned Tantervale's lord into an ally after winning her war and was likely to get Starkhaven's as well eventually. Ansburg seemed likely to sign her treaty even sooner, given that it had hosted the trials of the Red Templars of the Mage-Templar War. Ostwick, with a weak Teyrn, was a possibility for Duke Prosper until the Inquisitor appeared on the scene, a mage son of one of the Teyrn's banns. Now going after Ostwick would amount to making war on the Inquisition. But there were several other cities in the Free Marches, and, like a lucky card, chance could always present a golden opportunity.
In any case, the throne of Orlais itself remained unsettled, and he knew better than to take himself out of contention by declaring an interest in becoming the lord of someplace else—which, by making such a declaration, would mean he would lose that chance too due to the sense of entitlement and arrogance it would project to the Marchers. If he had to take that path, he knew he would have to win them over, to earn it. And his family's long history in Orlais was not to be cast aside lightly, but only as a direst necessity.
Admittedly, after the asinine conduct of his cousin Celene, he felt that that necessity was approaching. He had supported her loyally for many years—with the intelligence provided by Salit, rooted out and executed a lot of Qunari spies stationed in Orlais—backed her in the War of the Lions...
Only to see her allow her chevaliers to commit mass rapes in Halamshiral without consequence. Prosper was no stranger to hard tactics, but they had to be intelligent, and anyone with an ounce of sense could have told Celene that there was no intelligence in that. Some hard tactics broke their victims' spirit, but rapes—unless they were committed in settings of total powerlessness such as prisons—just riled them. She wanted to marry Cailan of Ferelden, Duke Prosper thought, but she was so enraged and disappointed by his death that she didn't even keep up with news of other matters from Ferelden. A Fereldan lord raped several of Denerim's elves and it provoked a rebellion in the Fereldans' capital city.
And the same had happened in Orlais, but with worse consequences. The elves were furious, and Ferelden took full advantage, inciting them to switch allegiance, pick up weapons, join the Fereldan army, and take Orlesian land almost up to Halamshiral itself. Duke Prosper did not want to serve Celene after this failure.
But he could not serve Gaspard either. Gaspard had been oblivious to the Qunari spies embedded in Orlais and the threat that they portended. Instead, that fool was determined to launch a military invasion of a neighbor that had not been a threat until the horrible civil war itself gave it an opportunity—and which likely would not take any more territory than it already had, for that would mean taking major interior cities rather than the isolated backwater of Jader. Gaspard wanted to recolonize Ferelden when Orlais could not afford a major military offensive that would be met with fierce rebellion, when it needed to be tightening up its own defenses instead, and for no reason Duke Prosper could see except to prove some point about his manhood—both kinds.
Either of them would be the ruination of Orlais. They had already done considerable damage, and the fact that so few could see it made Duke Prosper deeply pessimistic about his homeland's future. But so it was; nobles and generals kept fighting for those two, making pronouncements of honor and chivalry despite the destruction and humiliation that their conflict had wrought. Indeed, they seemed in total denial of that. Duke Prosper himself had heard of such professions from army leaders in the Exalted Plains: pompous, arrogantly oblivious declarations of eternal fealty amid a smoking skeleton-filled wasteland. What a joke. Was this truly what Orlais had come to?
Duke Prosper, at least, could see it, which was why he was looking at exit strategies for his family. His ancient family history with Orlais was important, but ultimately his family's future mattered more than its past. Nations rose and fell, but the smart and foresighted made a future for themselves no matter what. And Duke Prosper did have family history far northeast of Orlais. His ancestor, Ser Gaston de Montfort, was a hero at Ayesleigh in the Fourth Blight.
It might be that people would finally snap, and become so sick of Gaspard and Celene's race to the bottom in barbarism that they would turn to alternatives such as Duke Prosper. He was every bit as qualified by birth as Gaspard. He wanted to keep that door open as long as he could, unlikely though the prospect seemed. But if the lords did not look beyond the two warring contenders, then he did want his other plan to work. For that, it would be important that he had made his announcement from Chateau Haine and made the specific declarations that he would make.
The Duke gazed out at the assembled guests. He had invited a broad assortment: Marcher nobles from all over the region, Orlesian vassals and allies of his own, and even a handful who he knew were loyal to Celene first.
"Honored guests," he began. "Loyal allies, respected rivals... dear friends." He smiled behind his mustache. "First I must thank you for the honor of your visit to Chateau Haine..."
As he continued the usual pleasantries, he observed the faces before him in the assembly hall. Many were curious, some appeared to fancy themselves shrewd and clever, and some were full of suspicion. But no one knew exactly what he was going to say.
"We live in the Dragon Age, as foretold," he stated. "And while we hoped that the Fifth Blight would be the main event of this Age, this has proven sadly untrue. This is an age of violence and chaos, but also an age of change, my friends. We must adapt to it or be swept away by it.
"War now bears a deadlier face, a face born in the fires of invention. A new order rises in the Free Marches, forged in a crucible of blood, metal, magic, and blasting fire—but it is an order promising unity and superior defense against the threats of the Qun and the Venatori. An order of hope, proving that even out of violence and war, positive change can come. Likewise, the sky was rent apart by an ancient monster until very recently, when those same mages who won a new way of life for themselves proved their worth to all by sealing the Breach beside our Inquisitor, Enchanter Trevelyan of Ostwick.
"But Orlais, once an empire that stretched across the south, is in stark decline. The Sun of the Empire is low in the sky," Duke Prosper declared, to shocked gasps—not at the information, but that he would say it. He forbore from sighing at their shock. "The civil war, wholly unnecessary and extraordinarily ill-timed, has devastated it. We must face this unpleasant truth."
Someone then called out, "Down with them both! Emperor Prosper!" A handful of others, undoubtedly Orlesians, began to chant this.
Duke Prosper relished the moment, keeping his facial expression hidden behind his enameled mask. He let the chants go on just long enough before shaking his head indulgently. "My dear friends," he said, "I thank you for the compliment, but remember, we do not discuss treason at Chateau Haine."
Several people chuckled at this allusion to the fortress's history. Duke Prosper smiled, then continued.
"Although the northern Marcher schism has returned to the fold, the Sunburst Throne—alas!—lies vacant following Divine Justinia's murder. Who will succeed her? Who can best lead the Chantry in this era of change? Who can best see the threats Thedas faces in the future—and the opportunities that the Maker has given us to defeat these threats?" He paused. "The Inquisition?"
Several grunts of apparent disagreement emerged from the crowd, notably among the Marcher contingent.
"The Inquisition's duty is to defeat the forces of Corypheus, and for this task they are well-suited. May the Maker turn His gaze upon them! May Andraste continue to favor her Herald in this task!" the Duke called out, to applause. He smirked behind his mustache; he had indeed meant the sentiment, but it was also to ensure that no one could accuse him of backing Corypheus. "But while the Inquisition is well-suited to this task, I fear it is not suited to the threat that looms ahead. I speak, of course, of the Qun."
Nods and murmurs broke out in the audience.
"This ideology threatens every man, woman, and child in Thedas," Prosper declared. "Every member of a family, every lover and spouse, every newly free mage, every woman who has taken up arms, every man who nurtures children, every devoted follower of Andraste, every person who wishes to set the course of their own life! All this would be taken away under the Qun. Who has given us individual strengths, the intelligence and awareness to see them ourselves, and the free will to choose our path? The Maker!" he answered himself. "But in the Qun, if you profess such beliefs, they take you for 're-education.' If that fails, they destroy your mind with poison. And they always look south, my friends. They see us all as future subjects of conquest.
"Even as Corypheus's forces mass, the Qunari bide their time. They do not regard the Llomerryn Accords as binding, and their recent actions prove it. As Ferelden fought a Blight, the Qunari sent a reconnaissance force to determine if it could be exploited. We all know that the late Arishok himself, the military leader of the Qunari government, occupied Kirkwall with a garrison. He made overt threats and sent a reconnaissance or assassination team into the Keep. He claimed the right of justice over Qunari defectors, Kirkwallers sheltering from the law, and even a sea captain who had got the better of him. No matter what the situation, he demanded authority over it. This is how the Qun works—their laws and institutions, always. They grant no legitimacy to ours. And then, as we know, the Arishok attacked Kirkwall, killing its ruler—a brazen violation of the Llomerryn Accords.
"And, my friends, the Qunari have been active in Orlais too." A stir arose in the crowd, and the Duke put his hand up for silence. "In Dragon 9:34 and 35 I personally rooted out and executed numerous Qunari spies who had been deeply embedded in Orlais. Humans and elves, arousing no suspicion in their communities, but secretly believing in the Qun, committing treason, and passing intelligence to a hostile power. And it is by the Maker's grace that I was not thwarted, for a Qunari spy attempted to suborn Viscountess Hawke to prevent me from obtaining the list of traitors from a former Qunari aiding me. But the now-Viscountess was shrewd and wise, and stopped that threat in its tracks, as she went on to do in her own city. I am proud and honored to count the Hawke-Amell family as friends."
The Marcher contingent cheered loudly. Prosper allowed this to go on for some time before continuing his speech.
"So, even as we support the Inquisition's fight against the present threat, our eyes must ever be trained on the future. The Qunari threat is the future, and it is crucial for Thedas to have leaders who have exercised foresight, rather than those who have been oblivious, or, even worse, believed that appeasement can work in this case. It cannot. The Qunari must be defeated. Viscountess Hawke saw that. And so did her longtime ally, Grand Cleric Petrice of Kirkwall."
The crowd suddenly realized what Duke Prosper had called them for.
"The Inquisition is beginning to exceed its mandate to defeat Corypheus's forces. Rumors circulate of its specific intentions for shoring up the Chantry and filling the seat of the Holy Successor. It begins to push candidates who have never served in the priesthood, but more importantly, who have not treated the Qunari as the threat they are. Indeed, word reaches us that they have let a known Qunari spy into the Inquisition's inner circle, on the basis that they can 'watch' this person. Appeasement!" he exclaimed, pumping a fist.
The crowd erupted in disapproval.
"Some potential Inquisition-aligned candidates even continue to cling to the fears of the past—the obsolete paranoia about well-trained Andrastian mages, despite the fact that the free mages have proven themselves time and again. This, too, is a prejudice that the Grand Cleric of Kirkwall does not carry. She did not and would not waste Chantry resources fighting mages who are friends rather than foes. And her ally, Viscountess Hawke, a mage herself, sees them as a crucial part of Thedas's military defenses.
"We live in an era of change," Duke Prosper said again in conclusion. "To thrive and succeed, we must not cling to the past, but look to the future. For this reason, I declare my support for Viscountess Hawke's Vimmark-Minanter Treaty. Unity and strong defenses in the Free Marches are a crucial bulwark against the Qunari. And I offer my endorsement to Grand Cleric Petrice of Kirkwall as the next Divine of the Andrastian Chantry."
Kirkwall.
Anders raised his eyebrows as he handed Comte de Launcet's report of Prosper's speech—including a transcription of the speech itself—to Caitlyn Hawke. "This is interesting and unexpected," he remarked.
She read it carefully, then set it aside. "Hmm."
"What do you think he wants? It looks like he wants a city in the Free Marches, to be honest."
"I think you're right, love," Caitlyn agreed.
"They all have rulers, though. And while there was a time when I would have supported someone saying these things who then went after Starkhaven, I don't know now. Varric writes that Sebastian Vael might finally be facing the truth about Elthina."
"I don't think Prosper has his eye on Starkhaven," Caitlyn said. "And he endorsed VMTO, so he would know that we would fight him if he went after one of our treaty-bound allies. But several cities have not yet joined." She considered. "I don't want to make enemies if I don't have to, so I'm not going to offer him armed support even to take over one of those. But if he did go after a city that hasn't signed..." She shrugged. "I wouldn't oppose him."
"You don't think he means to challenge you for 'leadership' in this region?"
She considered that. "He'd be someone to keep an eye on, certainly. But I really got the impression that he respects us, thinks we need to be in power, and wouldn't do us harm."
"And his endorsement of Petrice?"
Caitlyn sighed, running her fingers through her long red hair. "I still have misgivings. But we're not going to get a perfect Divine," she finally said. "I'm not ready yet to officially endorse her, but this is going to be about deciding which contender has flaws we can most easily live with."
Skyhold.
The Advisors and three of Max's companions—Varric, Cassandra, and Dorian—were in the middle of a heated debate in the war room. In the days following the departure of the Free Mages, they had received a proposal from the Crown of Ferelden, Arl Teagan Guerrin, and Teyrn Fergus Cousland: an offer to send several thousand Fereldan soldiers, armed with poisons and firebombs, into the Emprise du Lion to destroy the red lyrium. The people of Sahrnia would be offered Fereldan legal residency and assistance evacuating with their livestock, pets, and property, provided that it was not contaminated.
Ferelden's new territorial claims edged right next to the Emprise, but they notably did not include the befouled land itself. Several of the Inquisition therefore saw another agenda behind the country's offer.
"Ferelden wants to do this so that it can grab that area too," Dorian said.
Leliana agreed. "The Emprise is undesirable now, but if it were purged..."
"Of course that is what they want," Cassandra said, "though in fairness, since they do claim land bordering the Emprise, they may want it cleansed whether the Emprise itself becomes theirs or not."
"Ferelden was Kirkwall's ally, I thought," Josephine remarked, "and yet this offer arrives so soon after Hawke pulled the mages back. Could the alliance be fraying? Might Hawke—with her 'grand plans' for the Free Marches—and this aggressive Ferelden see each other as threats? Or could Hawke be in on this? What do you think, Varric? I know that you communicate with her."
Varric shrugged. "Hawke and Blondie are pretty pissed off at the Inquisition right now, I have to say."
"The feeling is mutual," Cassandra replied.
"So far as I know, they didn't collaborate with Ferelden about this. I wouldn't necessarily read any alliance-fraying into that, though. The fact is, Ferelden borders the befouled place and Kirkwall does not."
"I do not think Kirkwall is a factor here," Leliana said. "But the fact remains, if we accept this offer, it will mean that the Inquisition is enabling further Fereldan land annexation—not just facing reality about the claims that occurred before we existed, but actively helping it acquire more. We must remain in Orlais' good graces to stand a chance of settling its ruinous civil war."
Cullen spoke up. "Yes, that's important, but there is something more important than borders and politics, to my eyes. Getting rid of the red lyrium seems more important than favoring this nation or that one, I would think! If it spreads, both Ferelden and Orlais lose. If Orlais cannot handle the task of cleanup due to its own war and disarray, let Ferelden have a chance. They can sort out who controls what land later. This is about making sure there is living earth to fight over!"
Max had been listening to all the arguments, and he was glad that Cullen had spoken. "I agree with Cullen," he said.
Leliana and Josephine shared a look. "But, Inquisitor—" Josephine began.
"Your concerns about Orlais' respect for us are valid," Max admitted. "Here's what I was thinking. To defend against the appearance of helping Ferelden seize this area, we could send in a joint force: Ferelden, Inquisition, and the Starkhaven soldiers. And if Celene or Gaspard, or both, want to provide forces as well, let them. Ask them. Red lyrium is a threat to everyone, and if we're worried about additional Fereldan land grabs, make it so that it isn't just Ferelden's army doing this. Make it them, us, Starkhaven's forces, and, if possible, some Orlesian troops." He considered further. "That might dissuade the Fereldans from even trying to do more than purge the place. If it's an alliance, they look like the villain if they then try to take the Emprise."
Dorian smiled approvingly. "An excellent checkmate if it works."
"The Starkhaven forces absolutely must be included if we do this," Leliana agreed, "and I hope that Celene and Gaspard will provide troops. I will have my agents ask. I hope your and Cullen's optimism is not misplaced."
There was a pause before Josephine took out the next sheet of paper. "Next on the agenda, then: Grand Cleric Iona of Cumberland."
Everyone at the table stifled groans. The Nevarran cleric was a stubborn foe of the Inquisition, even after Corypheus's reveal and the closure of the Breach. Although the Marcher schism did not exist anymore, many priests—those who had joined it and those who had kept their heads down—agreed with the views about mages that it had espoused, and Grand Cleric Iona was consolidating their support for herself as the next Divine. She had declared that the Inquisition presented a moderate face in contrast with the "radicalism" from the Free Marches, but that because of this, it was an insidious threat instead of an overt one. In a way, Iona was a greater danger to progress than Elthina had been. If she became Divine, she would have the legitimacy of a majority vote in a Sacred Conclave, unlike the schism declaration of Dragon 9:37.
She had recently issued a statement that Leliana, Cassandra, and Cullen had all worked with "the apostates" in the past—which was true. Cullen had even been on Hawke's War Council for a time. She had also heard about Dorian and said that the Inquisition had let Tevinter itself into the inner circle.
Her message was less appealing than it would have been a few years ago, between the free mage community living peacefully in Kirkwall, the army's closure of the Breach, the Marcher unity efforts of Viscountess Hawke, and the fact that the Inquisitor himself was a mage. Indeed, change was steadily sweeping over Andrastian lands, and many people were coming to view the hatred of mages as a relic of a dead past, no longer relevant now that most mages "walked in the Maker's light." Grand Cleric Iona did not have majority support among those who would vote for Divine—not even close. But the Inquisition did not want to deal with a renewed schism movement.
When the cleric's condemnation of Leliana, Cassandra, and Cullen for "working with the apostates" reached Skyhold, Max found himself wondering if part of the reason why some of his advisors and companions had a problem with Hawke and the Free Mages was that they were trying to distance themselves from them to combat Grand Cleric Iona. That possibility concerned him—that they might take back principled stands in response to such an attack—and it made him all the more convinced that she had to be dealt with.
Leliana finally spoke, grudgingly and reluctantly. "I could send an agent to—take care of her."
No one liked this suggestion. Max wanted the priest to go away, but not like that. He grimaced. "Is there no other way?" he said.
"A show of force," Cullen said. "Threats. If she's trying to gather all the ex-schismatics, our alliance with Prince Sebastian will be especially pointed."
"We could support a rival of hers," Josephine mused. "Of course, the most prominent one in the race for Divine is Grand Cleric Petrice, which would come with its own concerns. And it would likely mean closing doors on... possibilities from within the Inquisition..."
Leliana gave her friend a pointed look, which Max did not miss. Leliana as Divine? he thought briefly. Interesting... and a little scary... She did stand up for me when Cassandra was ready to execute me, and she supports mages, but Maker she is ruthless sometimes. But I've heard things about Grand Cleric Petrice that put Leliana's ruthlessness to shame.
"Cullen," he said, "I must side with you again."
Dorian gave Max a raised eyebrow. "Should I worry, my friend?"
Max gaped at him, then smothered a laugh. The others at the table—minus Cullen—began laughing aloud, and Cullen grew pink once Dorian's meaning hit him.
But the merriment did not last long. Someone pounded on the war room doors, then rapidly opened them. Vivienne burst into the room carrying documents.
"You are holding a war council meeting without me," she sniffed, pulling out a vacant chair at once and placing her papers on the tabletop. "But I must join now. Alarming news from north of the Waking Sea, I am afraid."
The others examined the documents. One was a transcription of a speech given by Duke Prosper de Montfort at his secondary home of Chateau Haine—in the Free Marches. That was significant, particularly in light of the speech's content. The Duke, a cousin of Empress Celene, had declared that Orlais was declining, that he supported Hawke's Vimmark-Minanter Treaty, that he endorsed Grand Cleric Petrice for Divine, and that he condemned the Inquisition itself for "appeasing" the Qunari—while dismissing its duties to be only to defeat Corypheus's forces, no more.
"He is keeping the door open in Orlais as long as the throne remains disputed," Leliana breathed, "but he is more interested in the Free Marches."
"And look," Vivienne said, pushing forward the other document. "He has an ally there."
The document was a copy of an official statement from Caitlyn Hawke and Anders, coyly thanking Duke Prosper for his compliments to their family, support for their treaty and for mage rights, and work in the past against the Qunari. They did not echo his endorsement of Petrice, which was interesting. Neither did they endorse him for Emperor of Orlais, nor for the lordship of any Marcher city—unsurprising, since they were not in enmity with any of their neighbors now and all had rulers—but the subtext was clear that they would back him in some ambition or other unless a good reason against it arose.
Every eye turned to Varric. Instantly he threw his hands up. "I did not know about this!" he exclaimed. "And you can't have expected me to! Chateau Haine's a lot closer to Kirkwall than we are. Word of his speech probably reached the Keep in two days or less."
"They did not hint to you that they knew in advance of Prosper's speech?" Josephine asked.
"Not a word. I don't know if that means they kept it private or if it was a surprise to them too."
"This is deeply alarming, however," Josephine said. Cassandra nodded emphatically, and Vivienne more subtly, but it was obvious to Max and Dorian that she was concerned too. "Duke Prosper has not shown any interest in being Emperor. A fortunate thing, given that he has that trained wyvern."
"More than one now," Leliana said darkly.
"Indeed. We did not think we needed to worry about him as an additional variable in the Orlesian succession. He was thought to be just a loyal supporter of the Empress. But this... this indicates that he is not in her corner anymore, or even particularly interested in Orlais itself. It suggests that he may have an alliance with Kirkwall, and given his remarks about us—dismissing us as merely an army to defeat Corypheus, accusing us of appeasement and of being stuck in the past—it is clear that whatever this alliance may be, it threatens the Inquisition."
Vivienne nodded gravely. Cassandra and Leliana looked unhappy but could not argue with Josephine's conclusion either. Cullen was grimacing, unwilling to speak up. Dorian was frowning in consideration.
And Varric was unable to keep silent. "Don't you think that's a bit much, Ruffles?" he exclaimed.
Josephine regarded him with sad eyes. "I know Hawke and Anders are your friends," she said, "but they are also heads of state. She is, and he basically is too via their equal marriage. And it is in that capacity that they are acting now."
"Silencing Grand Cleric Iona now empowers Grand Cleric Petrice," Cassandra said. "She is an equally dangerous candidate in her own way. Iona is retrograde—truly stuck in the past, unlike Prosper's accusation about us—but Petrice single-handedly brought back the auto-da-fé after ages of disuse. She abused her holy office to help Hawke with political problems."
Leliana sighed heavily. "Sadly, that would be nothing new for the Holy Successor. Loath as I am to say it, even..." She broke off.
Even Divine Justinia? Max wondered, with a significant look exchanged with Dorian.
"We should ask more of Andraste's successor!" Cassandra exclaimed.
"Can we?" Leliana said, staring hard at her fellow Hand. "If every other contender plays the Game of politics, and we do not, we may lose by default. We cannot support Iona. But Petrice as Divine will embolden Duke Prosper. He is interested in the Free Marches now, but if she becomes Divine, he is suddenly viable as a potential emperor. He knows this, I am sure. We have no influence with him and it is clear to me that we are unlikely to acquire any, after what he said about us. If Prosper rules Orlais, Petrice sits on the Sunburst Throne, and Hawke takes over the Free Marches, we may be in a tight spot."
"Hawke takes over the Free Marches"? Max thought, stunned. Is that what you think she's doing? Is that what you think leadership must necessarily be?
"Wouldn't that break the Kirkwall-Ferelden alliance, though?" Dorian asked. "Prosper in Orlais would be concerning to Ferelden. We are technically on Fereldan soil. We could align closely with them."
"It might not break that alliance, if Hawke and Anora got Prosper to agree to non-aggression—which he very well might do. He is adamant that the Qunari are the threat of the future. He really might not want to start a fight with Ferelden. We could end up extremely isolated."
"So what should we do?" Max asked.
She gazed at him. "What Josephine and I have said we should do since we came to Skyhold. We support a strong Orlais and a unifying Divine."
Vivienne smiled approvingly. "I concur fully, Sister Leliana."
"Do you?" Leliana replied, eyebrows raised.
"But of course."
The two women gave each other sharp, pointed looks. Max wondered for a moment about that. There was some deeper game that they were playing and referencing, and what it was, wasn't clear to him. Leliana was now letting people talk about her as a possible future Divine—and that pained him, because did it not mean that she had given up on reconciling with Elissa Cousland? But Vivienne? Surely she couldn't have that ambition too, could she?
It's a new world, he thought. A mage Inquisitor and Herald. A mage Viscountess of Kirkwall and victorious commander. Why not a mage Divine?
He did not want someone with her views, even a mage, in that seat, but the idea that she could occupy it was no longer impossible. In fact, it was very likely one reason why Vivienne had wanted to join the Inquisition. Not the only one—she had indeed wanted to see the Breach closed and order restored—but this possibility had to have occurred to her in this new world, and the Inquisition must have seemed the best vehicle for her to use to pursue it.
I'm going to be asked to support someone myself, he realized. Maybe not just yet—and if Leliana does have this ambition, she is trying to establish herself as "the Inquisition candidate" without my actual avowed support. But I will almost certainly be asked someday who I back. I had better think about it so that I have an answer—and one that I won't regret.
Max was not surprised when Cassandra and Leliana took him aside for a private audience afterward. He murmured for Dorian to stay for moral support, since he, as a follower of the Imperial Chantry, would have no say.
The two women regarded him in a way that reminded him of Senior Enchanters—or, more aptly, Templars and priests—staring at him as a Circle apprentice when he had broken some rule. He suppressed a scowl. Those days were gone, and he was the Herald and Inquisitor now. The warmth of Dorian's presence just a foot away reinforced that for him, and he breathed in to relax.
"Inquisitor," Leliana said, "I am sure you did not miss the subtext of the end of that discussion in the war room."
"I did not," he confirmed.
She nodded. "Duke Prosper's speech spoke of 'candidates' aligned with the Inquisition—plural. He does not just speak of myself and Vivienne, either. He includes Cassandra in that count."
Max raised his eyebrows; that was a surprise to him. Cassandra had not acted like a candidate.
"And the rumors he must have heard have been accurate. Well over a year ago, before the White Spire Revolt, in fact, Divine Justinia told Cassandra and me that we should choose her successor if the war took her life, and that we could choose one of ourselves if need be." She sighed. "We never heeded her words because we did not want to face that possibility. But we must do so now. With Grand Cleric Iona taking votes from one flank and Grand Cleric Petrice from the other, the 'Inquisition-aligned' vote must not be divided."
Max nodded. That made sense to him.
Cassandra spoke up. "I am no leader, Inquisitor. I proved that the day of the Conclave. I doubt I can play politics or lead an organization as big as the Chantry—and while Leliana knows we have some differences of opinion, I respect her, trust her, and have worked with her for years. I am going to support her candidacy for Divine when the time comes and urge any who may have been inclined to support me to back her instead."
"As Herald and Inquisitor, you will eventually be asked whom you support," Leliana said. "If you do decide to support me, which of course I hope you will, you need not say it yet. I realize that you will want to remain friends with Vivienne. But frankly, I do not see a viable path for Vivienne if the other choices are Iona, Petrice, and myself. I do not see who will be inclined to vote for her in that case. A mage who wants traditional Circles? What is her constituency? She is an intelligent woman and will see that for herself eventually, and back away of her own accord—so you need not do anything to jeopardize your friendship or bring tension into the Inquisition."
So you have given up on Lady Cousland, he thought sadly. She has hurt you beyond repair with her silence since the Conclave, if you're willing to give her up for the Sunburst Throne. Conflict in Thedas tore the two of you apart, but even a world-changing war didn't do that to Hawke and Anders. Because they are lawfully married and you aren't? Must it always be so for people like... us? Max's heart ached, but he dared not speak of this.
"I appreciate that," he finally said, meaning it. "And I do hope the other political situation—the secular one—turns out better than it looks like it will."
Leliana smiled sadly. "It rarely does, Herald. It did in the Blight, but I fear that was a one-time event."
Max believed that they had set things in motion—reaching out to their contacts, trying to arrange the alliance for the Emprise operation. He reluctantly accepted that the Inquisition had to be involved in politics. As much as he wished they could focus strictly on Corypheus, his forces, and the removal of red lyrium, the fact that "his forces" were a mission at all meant that they would be dealing with people—in the case of the Venatori, people with ties to Tevinter. Corypheus also had agents throughout Thedas, some knowing, some not. They had uncovered an unknowing one in western Ferelden, the Arl of West Hills, and tipped him off about how he was being used.
The advisors suspected that Corypheus must have a highly-placed agent in the Orlesian Court as well, or else his plan to assassinate Empress Celene would have roadblocks.
"Duke Prosper?" Max suggested uncomfortably when they told him this. He didn't want the man to be Corypheus's agent. He had some sort of alliance with Kirkwall, and if they turned out to be allied with Corypheus's agent, it would be disastrous for several connected efforts and groups, including the free mages.
"I doubt that," Leliana said, to Max's relief. "The Duke's speech may have severed his association with the Empress, in fact. He cut his ties as a supporter of hers, and as we all believe, intends either to become something in the Free Marches or to take the Orlesian throne himself. Either way, he is no longer close enough to the Empress to harm her. My agents have not seen him in court functions with Celene since that speech. I have suspicions about Corypheus's agent in the Imperial Court, but... as I can prove nothing yet..." She trailed off.
Max nodded, understanding. This, he reflected again, was the trouble: They were fighting Corypheus's agents, but that necessitated being involved in politics too.
And the cleanup of red lyrium was now similar. Alistair and Anora's—or, Max thought, more likely just Anora's—territorial interests were in tension with the common need to get rid of the stuff. It was a task that Max felt everyone should support while putting aside their political goals. Leliana brought him up short about that naivete too.
"During the Blight, I thought the same," she said, smiling indulgently. "What personal or political goals came before defeating the Blight? So did my... companion. And yet we too had to play politics. We had to fight Teyrn Loghain, navigate the game our own noble allies were playing with us... It is because of this that Alistair and Anora are on the throne now. I suppose playing politics in a time of crisis is their birthright."
That seemed deeply cynical to Max, and he could not help but notice the fact that Elissa Cousland was now relegated to being her "companion." Leliana is embracing the Game because it's all she feels she has left, he realized in a sudden flash of insight. She has lost her longtime partner... her faith has been heavily damaged... Justinia is dead ... Her bardic past is what remains, the one thread of her established identity that isn't broken, so she's holding fast to it.
That realization was so profound to him that he could not remain in her presence for much longer without giving it away. And he didn't want to do that, so as soon as he politely could, he made himself scarce.
Dorian agreed with Max's assessment of Leliana once he told him.
"You don't really want to know what I might become if someone took away everything good about me," Dorian warned.
Max raised his eyebrows. "I might know better than you realize. For a moment, when Dagna arrived, I felt a bit that way myself."
Dorian chuckled. "Your moment of gazing at the darkness. I hope you never have to do more than gaze at it for a moment." His smile faded. "Leliana plays the Game of Orlais, and it is deadly, but what goes on in Tevinter makes that look like child's play. And every altus magister learns how to play it, and teaches their heirs the same."
"You learned about it?"
"I learned. And yes, if I lost everything but that..." He shook his head. "I love Tevinter, but I love it for what it could be—should be—rather than for what it is."
"True patriotism rather than blind nationalism," Max said. "I begin to understand that feeling... about the Inquisition."
They were interrupted by a very concerned-looking Cullen. "Gentlemen," he said abruptly, "war room. We have an emergency meeting."
Max and Dorian exchanged alarmed looks, but quickly got to their feet.
The entire group—nine companions, though Cole was not present, so eight; and three advisors—had been summoned for this meeting.
"We have a problem," Josephine began. "Namely—Grand Cleric Iona is dead. Assassinated."
Max's eyes widened, as did Dorian's and several others'.
Sera shrugged. "Why is that a problem? I thought we didn't like her."
"It is a problem," Leliana said, "because we did not order her death."
Max hated to admit it, but he would have been inclined to suspect that Leliana had given the order against his expressed wishes. But why call a full meeting, then? Could she have done it and this is all a facade? he wondered.
He shoved that idea away. If she had done it, she would have moved on with whatever the next step in her plan was.
"Who did, then?" he finally managed. "Do we know?"
"We do not know for certain, but we suspect Duke Prosper's hirelings. He has the most to gain by removing one rival to his chosen candidate and making it look like the other rival had done it—which is what has happened. We are innocent of this. In the name of Andraste, I swear," she said, hand over heart. "But her supporters suspect us anyway."
"Do you think Viscountess Hawke was involved?" Vivienne asked, eyes gleaming. Max could tell that she hoped Hawke was involved.
Varric spoke up. "She wouldn't do this. This isn't how she operates. She can be ruthless, but she didn't have rivals assassinated in the shadows and other rivals framed for it. Her actions were public."
"What about Grand Cleric Petrice?"
Varric cringed. "Yeah... that is how she operated years ago. But she's pretty close with Hawke, and Hawke is sharp and would suspect if the priest were directly involved."
"I agree," Leliana said. "Furthermore, there is the fact that this did not happen until Duke Prosper endorsed her. I think he ordered it himself."
"You know," Iron Bull spoke up thoughtfully, "if you want me to, I could write to my superior officers at home. Prosper is known among the Qunari."
Leliana shook her head. "I would not reject an alliance with the Qunari for the purpose of fighting Corypheus," she emphasized, "but I will not have it for a purpose like this. I realize that many Qunari assassins are human and elven, able to blend in well in the south, but if Duke Prosper were killed in that way, Grand Cleric Petrice would instantly accuse the Qunari of doing it—and if we were connected, it would be extremely bad for us in the eyes of Thedas. We don't want him dead at the blade of a Ben-Hassrath."
"Yeah, that's fair," Iron Bull agreed.
"What are we going to do, then?" Max asked. "It sounds like we can't fight Duke Prosper."
She smiled darkly. "We are going to play his little game, Inquisitor. He wanted people believing we killed Grand Cleric Iona. Let him take the consequences of that. We are going to pretend that I did give that order."
Rainier, Solas, and Cassandra frowned. Sera, Vivienne, and Iron Bull smirked in approval. Varric looked conflicted. And Dorian's eyes were round with comprehension.
"If we deny it furiously, we look weak," Leliana continued. "That, no doubt, is what Duke Prosper wanted. So instead we shrug. We do not speak against the rumor. We don't lie, but we don't deny it either. Prosper wants people to think I am an assassin. So be it. Let people fear the Nightingale."
Max was not sure what to think. She didn't do it, he thought, but she would have been capable of it. And she is going to embrace this rumor to promote fear of the Inquisition. Yet... isn't this better than starting a violent fight with Duke Prosper? And over what? Some cleric who was our enemy too?
He decided that he didn't love this, but he could live with it.
Josephine then spoke up. "This event has demonstrated something else, though. We need to be more proactive in stifling our rivals. They are stronger than we thought. This—I am sorry, Varric—this includes the Vimmark-Minanter Treaty Organization."
Varric glowered. "Now, just a minute, Ruffles. We just said that this was Duke Prosper's doing. And I don't think Hawke was involved with his plan."
"But she benefits," Josephine said. "And has she rebuffed him after this? Not that we can see. It is as Leliana said in a previous meeting: If Petrice becomes Divine, Prosper rules Orlais, Hawke becomes the unofficial leader of all the Free Marches, and they get Ferelden into a peace pact, where does that leave us?" She gazed at Max. "You, Inquisitor, are likely safe. They will need you to defeat Corypheus. But they will use you."
And you're not? Max thought mutinously. But he didn't dare say it.
"They might let the Inquisition as a whole exist," Leliana mused, "but only as long as they needed us to defeat Corypheus. Then they would disband us."
Max raised his eyebrows. "Were you thinking we needed to exist permanently, even after we beat him?"
"I hope not, but I want such decisions to be our choice, not forced upon us."
Josephine continued where she had been cut off by Varric. "The Free Marches have a tournament every so often, a Grand Tourney, and the next one is to be held in Markham in a few weeks. Each city sends competitors, and of course, there is a great deal of politicking, arranging of marriages—though perhaps not so much now, with Hawke obtaining allegiance with ink, gold, and defense promises instead. This will be the first Tourney since the Mage-Templar War ended, and since that war was focused on the Free Marches, this is expected to be a very momentous occasion in the region."
Leliana took up the discussion. "This Tourney will undoubtedly be a celebration of postwar unity, and we think Hawke will use the occasion to pressure the remaining cities to sign her treaty." She gave Max a pointed look. "Among others, that would include Ostwick... and Starkhaven."
Varric looked outraged as he figured out the thrust of this discussion. "And let me guess: You want to interfere. You want Hawke's treaty weakened."
Josephine regarded him gravely. "We admire your loyalty to your friends, but what Hawke is doing could destabilize Thedas."
Varric slammed a fist on the table. "Thedas is already destabilized—"
"It seems to me that she's pushing for more stability!" Max exclaimed. "What are you so afraid of with a stronger Free Marches?"
"Because it comes at the cost of a strong Orlais."
"You just said that if Duke Prosper becomes Emperor—"
"Then he will likely accept Ferelden's aggression and Hawke's ambitions to control the Free Marches, because he is focused on the Qunari instead. Duke Prosper, we fear, does not care about Orlais as Celene and Gaspard do."
"You really think Celene and Gaspard give a damn about Orlais' well-being?" Varric said in disbelief.
"Duke Prosper just wants power to use against Qunandar," Josephine said with a repressive look. "If that's Orlais, fine by him, but it need not be. He will not revitalize Orlais; he will simply use it."
Max gaped at Josephine and Leliana—and then noticed that Vivienne was looking contented and allied with them. He fell back into his chair, feeling sick.
"We will not send agents to the Tourney with instructions to destroy Hawke's treaty," Leliana said more gently. "We can't, anyway. She has had alliances with Markham and Hercinia for years. The ties are too strong."
"I don't want to know anything about this," he snapped. "If you're so determined on this, don't even tell me. I'm a figurehead anyway, after all."
That silenced the table for a moment. Then Max spoke again, adding, "You said we needed a strong Orlais to counter Tevinter." He gave Dorian a look of apology. "But why can't we have a strong Free Marches instead? It borders Tevinter too. I just don't understand this decision."
There was another lull before Leliana replied. Her voice was calmer. "We know what a strong Orlais looks like. What Hawke is attempting has never been seen before and we don't know if it would work. Right now leaders have lined up to join, when there are threats everywhere and Kirkwall has blasted the door open to a new kind of warfare that nobody can match. But when things are more settled, and perhaps, other places have explosives and battlemages too... or even rockets of their own... would all these Marcher lords then want to cede leadership to another city in the region?"
"She respects the Marcher tradition of independence, though. Her treaty grants them individual sovereignty."
"But they pay dues to Kirkwall to fund a military. They rely on Kirkwall's arsenal and army, which includes five thousand mages. Even if Hawke does not rule them, she is positioning herself as the leader. Will they always accept that? As I said," she concluded, "we do not know if this would work. We do know that a strong Orlais will work." Her face grew wry. "I will be the first to say that Celene and Gaspard are both... morally questionable. The Grand Game can be, frankly, wicked. But they are known quantities. And most people do prefer the demon they know over the one they don't know."
Max still felt sick. A headache was beginning. And while he understood their argument, he still could not fully agree with it. Duke Prosper accused us of being stuck in the past with regard to mage rights, he thought. Vivienne might be, but Leliana isn't. But she and Josephine are stuck in the past with regard to politics and nations. They are afraid of a future that is too different from the one they know. "The demon they know," as Leliana herself said. She worries that Hawke's project won't work, but how can she be so sure that a strong Orlais will "work" anymore? Celene and Gaspard may have broken it. Meanwhile the Vimmark-Minanter Treaty does seem to be working.
What does it matter, though? he thought unhappily. They're going to do what they want. If I tried to forbid it, they'd send agents to the Grand Tourney secretly anyway, and I might never know that their hands had been in it. After all, for a moment I wondered if Leliana had had Grand Cleric Iona assassinated against my orders. I called myself a figurehead because it's true.
The meeting mercifully broke up. Max noticed that Dorian, Solas, Rainier, and Sera followed him. He looked for Varric, but the dwarf was stalking off alone, too angry to speak to anyone.
When he thought that no one was listening, he gathered them into a huddle. He still spoke quietly. "I think we need to stick together."
"Factions," Rainier muttered in dismay. "It's a shame."
"It wasn't our choice or our doing," Dorian said.
"It is a shame, though," Max said. "But it's the hand we've been dealt. We know now how some of our colleagues think. And..." He sighed, rubbing his aching head. "They... have some decent points. But they could go too far."
"So we're the 'True Inquisition'?" Sera suggested.
Max laughed bitterly. "I think we're all the true Inquisition," he said. "Their approach is necessary sometimes too. They're valued colleagues, their point of view has worth too, and we need to remember that! But I don't want to be stuck in another meeting like that, overwhelmed by their arguments because we weren't organized enough to articulate ours. Factions, yes... but also strength in numbers. And we'll bring Varric in too once he's recovered."
They parted then. No one noticed the castle servant lurking in a darkened corridor, nor did they see as she hurried off to report what she had heard to her spymaster.
Prince Sebastian was frowning in concern as Josephine, Vivienne, and Leliana explained their plans to him. "I had softened toward Viscountess Hawke's organization," he said. "Especially now that... Elthina..." He broke off, scowling. "I do not expect that Hawke, Anders, and I will ever be close personal friends, Anders in particular. But as leaders of nation-states, 'friendship' can mean something different, and there is merit in Hawke's project. The war we are now embroiled in proves it. I had meant to go to the Grand Tourney, actually compete myself, and join this VMTO."
"We would not command you, Your Highness," Josephine said. "You are the Prince of Starkhaven. But we do have concerns."
"We know that you had taken vows as a Chantry brother and that Elthina gave you a dispensation from those vows, allowing you to take power," Leliana said. "Of course, she had no lawful authority to do so even before she declared a schism. But the Inquisition does have that authority, and we have affirmed a dispensation for you too, which we have made effective retroactively to Solace Dragon 9:34—thereby ensuring that you were always the rightful Prince."
And you can take it away, and with it my right to rule, Sebastian thought. He understood her well enough. Elthina had once made the same threat, overtly rather than veiled.
"I understand you perfectly," Sebastian said, glowering. "But I do want to know why."
"In short, Your Highness... we fear that VMTO will prove temporary. The Free Marches are ferociously independent and we fear that they will remember that when the threat has subsided. And if we do not work to shore up Orlais instead, then where will we be left if the treaty falls apart?"
"Why would someone back out of this treaty, knowing of Kirkwall's weapons and army?" he countered. "I have seen the document. Hawke wanted me to sign it when I signed the surrender agreement last year. It does not take governing sovereignty away from any city in the Free Marches."
"That may be, but would all the leaders be as clear-sighted about that as you?" Josephine asked. "Most rulers are grasping and have a paranoid streak."
Sebastian scowled at them. "You have made up your minds, and I understand your unspoken threat—"
"We do not threaten you, Your Highness!"
He gave her a level, skeptical look. "You did not have to. I understand you. I will refrain from signing at the Grand Tourney. But if you mean to try to get rulers who have signed to back out, I may tell Varric."
"We are not going to interfere with existing alliances," Josephine assured him. "But we do mean to focus on restoring the great power that we know can lead Thedas: Orlais. That means that we do not want a rival."
So you will have people trying to talk Ostwick, Ansburg, and so on out of signing too. Sebastian suppressed his frown. He had joined the Inquisition to do the Maker's work fighting Red Templars and purging Thedas of red lyrium. This did not seem like the Maker's work to him.
The War Room, after the Grand Tourney.
"Our agents managed to keep the Vimmark-Minanter Treaty as it stood before the tournament," Josephine said.
Max scowled. He had not wanted to know this. But at least this time, he knew he had allies.
"We don't want it dissolved," Leliana added. "That would just be weakness, which Corypheus could exploit. And it does serve a purpose, since there are Venatori cells in the Free Marches."
She gave a particular look to Max—and, Max was fairly sure, his "faction." That alarmed him. Could she have spies in Skyhold itself, who had identified his "conspirators" among the companions? It was quite possible, he realized.
"That said, we do wonder about the Duke of Wycome," Josephine continued. "He was at Markham personally, and he advocated for this VMTO more strongly than anyone except Kirkwall itself. That is curious, since his city was not officially allied with Hawke during the Mage-Templar War."
"You think he could have an ulterior agenda?" Iron Bull spoke up.
"We are looking into Wycome. It may simply be that he is afraid of the Venatori in his region. We are investigating."
"But this unfortunate necessity of the Tourney has passed," Leliana continued, "and we can move on with other things. I am pleased to report that Celene and Gaspard have both agreed to send forces into the Emprise. Not many—no more than three hundred apiece, and no chevaliers—but the message is what matters. With their cooperation, the addition of Starkhaven's thousand troops that we still have, and our own forces, we expect the Emprise to be cleansed—and without any stunts from Ferelden."
Notes: A fore...warning, I guess. Chapter 9 is going to be one of the sleaziest (in terms of grubby politics) things I have ever written, but plotting its events out has also been extremely fun for me—much like Solas's attitude about the Grand Game in the Winter Palace. Essentially, after the events of this chapter, Celene and Gaspard have finally noticed that their power is slipping away, so they do something. Something really dirty. I am not a big fan of Orlais, but I'm not going to let everyone else beat it up without a fight either. As I said, I look forward to this and I hope it is enjoyable to read too.