They arrived at the bee keeper's hut in record time. How Bull had known where to find the guy was a mystery to Siara, but she just rolled with it.
Or she did as far as Jacen could tell. Travelling without a horse was… interesting. And not exactly easy. But, surprisingly, he didn't get tired. And if he found himself lagging behind, he always seemed to be able to pinpoint Siara and catch up. After about the third time, however, he'd simply mounted Siara's horse behind her. No one, except maybe the horse, noticed. And since he was dead and didn't weigh anything the horse didn't overly care. For which Jacen was rather grateful.
Jacen dismounted a fraction before Siara, slipping down the other side to Siara. He gave the horse a quick pat on the nose, his sister stroking its neck, then walked over to the hut. He could hear his sister talking to her companions.
"Someone else can do the talking," she said. "From what I know, I'm probably the last person the Inquisition wants speaking for them."
"You're right," Cassandra agreed.
Jacen looked around. Clearly the Seeker still didn't like his sister, and felt no shame in letting her know. It felt… wrong. He couldn't explain it. But Siara simply rolled her eyes. At least she didn't seem to care. Outwardly. Jacen could feel that she was slightly insulted by how much hate Cassandra felt towards her.
"Sera could," Siara got that evil glint in her eyes. "It was her idea, after all."
"I'm sorry?" Cassandra seemed alarmed by the idea, and Siara smiled sweetly.
"It's all right," she said, "you're forgiven."
Now Cassandra scowled.
"Are you ever serious?"
"Only on the twenty-first of every month," Siara shrugged. "Anyway, why are you standing around arguing with me? Go talk to Bee Guy."
Cassandra tensed, wanting to argue more, but turned and marched over to the door. Jacen hurriedly stepped out of the way. People had walked through him before, and it wasn't overly pleasant. More for psychological reasons than physical reasons. He glanced back around at Siara, who was now happily conversing with Bull.
He seemed like quite a nice guy. For a Qunari. Jacen still struggled with the concept of trusting a Qunari after everything that happened at Kirkwall. There were things from that time that Jacen wanted to forget about, but also dreaded that he would. There were simply more important things concentrate on at that moment, much as he hated to think about it. He wasn't saying Kirkwall was unimportant, just he couldn't change what happened there, and couldn't change what happened to him. Didn't stop it hurting.
Jacen left Cassandra when the door opened, heading back to where Sera, Siara, and Bull were. Siara's horse was scratching near its eye, Siara watching it, a tired look on her face. She hadn't been sleeping much, and it was starting to concern Jacen that she didn't have anyone around that she trusted enough to watch her back while she had a proper sleep. And that she was having so many nightmares that even if she did fall asleep properly, she would wake up not long after. Sera and Bull, on the other hand, were as energetic as usual.
"So, Bull. What are your women like?" Sera was asking. Siara's horse stopped scratching and gently headbutted her, asking for attention. She rested her head against its neck, reaching under the neck with one hand, her other hand stroking its nose. Her eyes were already half closed. She always had been at ease with horses. It brought a smile to Jacen's lips. She really needed to get around to naming it.
"The Tamassrans? Terrifying… and inspiring. They teach you everything you need to know. Give your life purpose."
"No, I mean, are they like you? Big and… phwoar."
"Oh, shit yeah."
Sera laughed, a slightly dreamy look on her face.
"Wow…"
"Just trust me when I say you don't want to get on their bad side," Siara said, still resting her head against her horse's neck. "They know how to hurt you."
"You know from experience?" Bull asked, mildly surprised.
"Hell yeah, she does," Jacen mumbled, despite knowing perfectly well no one could hear him. "Siara's fought more than her fair share of Qunari."
Siara simply nodded, but didn't actually say anything. Sera and Bull shared looks, then Sera folded her arms.
"All right, Bladey, spill."
"Hm?"
"You've been weird for ages, and don't think we haven't noticed that you ain't been sleeping."
A quiet sigh escaped Siara and she stopped leaning against her horse. She shrugged.
"I don't sleep often," she explained, Jacen glaring at her. He couldn't do much to help her if he couldn't be seen, and it annoyed him. She needed to tell someone so she could get help. And Sera and Bull seemed like good people for it. Neither of them seemed convinced by what she said, though.
"Something to do with your brother?" Bull asked. Siara looked at him, shrugged, then nodded.
"Yeah. I suppose."
"For the Maker's sake, Siara! Just tell them!" Jacen exploded. "Tell them exactly what happened!"
"There's more to it though, isn't there?" Bull was really on to it, his Ben-Hassrath training showing.
"Okay, you can stop reading me now," Siara growled, Jacen folding his arms and tapping his foot.
"You better tell them Siara."
Siara looked around to where Cassandra was talking to the rather creepy looking bee keeper, a small sigh escaping her.
"I was in the Fade," she eventually replied. "I can't fully remember it, but there are flashes. I think Jacen was there. Not sure. Anyway, we were at the conclave. And he died. He died where I survived. I watched him die, and because of everything that happened, I don't even have a body to bury," she looked back to Sera and Bull, "Happy? Good. Now let's never talk about it again."
Jacen sighed. At least she'd talked about some of it, even if she didn't mention how much it bothered her that this was the second time this had happened. Not having a body to bury. Though it surprised him that she could even remember flashes of what happened. She'd given no impression of it earlier. He guessed it was just a defence mechanism. But the conversation was over, Cassandra returning.
"He has agreed to teach us," she said. "We will receive weapon plans, and he's told us where to locate an apiary to supply us. We'll send more members of the Inquisition to this location to assist with setting everything up, as well as to learn."
"Good. So we can get out of here?" Siara was already mounting her horse. "Excellent."
She didn't bother waiting for the others, simply turned and started to ride off. Jacen sighed, shaking his head. She was hopeless. And he had his work cut out for him. Especially since he was a spirit. It was his job, wasn't it? His duty to care for his sister? Even if she wasn't even aware of his presence.
By now the others were all mounting, and Jacen had to quickly jump up behind Bull, who was closest to him. There was no way that he was going to be left behind again.
The Herald was waiting at the gates to meet them when they returned, a grim expression on her face.
"War chamber. Now," she ordered. "You too, Siara."
Siara frowned, slipping from her horse, who she had recently and affectionately named Blaze. All right, so she wasn't great at naming things. The only other 'pet' she'd had was a halla that she'd named Snowy.
"Can I look after Blaze first?"
"No. Now," Jacquelyn ordered, already turning and leaving. Siara sighed, handing the reins to Bull, who took them and started guiding Blaze and the horse he'd been lent over to the stable, Sera taking hers and Cassandra's horses, Cassandra and Siara already following Jacquelyn.
"You mind filling me in on what's going on?" Siara asked. "If you're getting me involved this early on then it has to be bad."
"It was Leliana's idea, not mine," Jacquelyn said. "We will explain when fewer people can overhear us. But to put it in words that even you will be able to comprehend, things are going shit."
"Wow, Trevelyan used a bad language word. I'm impressed," Siara said, her voice completely flat. "Next is to try and get her to say fuck," She half smirked, then went back to having a completely emotionless expression on her face.
Jacquelyn took in a deep breath to try and calm herself. She was most certainly not in the mood for Siara's games. Cassandra stayed out of the conversation. She couldn't do anything to help the situation. The only ones who could were Siara and Jacquelyn, and neither of them seemed very willing to. Both of them were stubborn. And frankly, Cassandra was more willing to side with Jacquelyn. Siara seemed to know this, and she hardly seemed to care. The Seeker was starting to think that maybe it was just what Siara did. Didn't care.
She couldn't have been more wrong.
"We have decided to go to the templars for help," Jacquelyn explained now that they were safely in the war chambers, door securely closed. "Not just with the Breach, but also with the mages."
Siara frowned, standing between Jacquelyn and Josephine, the ambassador seeming a bit uncertain of Siara's presence.
"Two questions," she said, everyone turning to face her. "One, why am I here? And two… Why, by the Maker's hairy balls, do you think it's a good idea to enlist templars to help with a mage problem? They're still fighting."
Cullen, at the very least, struggled to hide his shock at Siara's mildly colourful language.
"Because templars can silence magic," Jacquelyn said, using a tone that made it seem like she was talking to a child. "And Leliana requested you be here, I have already told you that."
"Yes you did," Siara agreed. "What I mean is why did she ask me to be here?"
"She can fill you in while Cassandra, Varric, and the Iron Bull prepare to depart for Therinfal Redoubt," Cassandra nodded, her and Jacquelyn marching from the room. Cullen followed them, moving to discuss something with them. Siara looked to Leliana and Josephine, Josephine still seeming uncertain about something.
"Right, now they're gone, explain."
"Gereon Alexius is a Tevinter magister," Leliana explained, "and he has taken the Redcliffe mages."
"Stupid move on the mages' part."
"Indeed," Leliana agreed, "and around the rifts at Redcliffe there have been… disruptions in time."
"Disruptions?"
"I don't know how to better explain it, but this isn't something we can afford to wait for templar help with."
"So what do you expect me to do about it?"
"Leliana tells me that you would be able to step in and meet with Alexius," Josephine explained, "even though he has requested to meet with the Herald."
"I don't know who you think I am, but there is no way that I can pass a five foot ten human noble."
"We don't expect you to," Leliana assured her. "We just want you to pose as her representative."
"Her representative?"
"We need to get ahead of this, Siara, and I believe you are the best person for the job."
Siara looked at Leliana, a serious expression on her face.
"I'll take Solas," she said, "and that Grey Warden that I saw walking around the place."
"He is Warden Blackwall. The Herald found him last time she was in the Hinterlands."
"That's nice for her," Siara looked thoughtful for a moment."I'll find them and tell them what we're about to do."
"Getting our forces in won't be easy," Cullen said, returning from whatever he was talking to Jacquelyn and Cassandra about, Siara looking around at him, "and for the record, I don't support this idea."
"Figures," Siara said, raising an eyebrow, Cullen half glaring at her.
"We'll get some of our forces in through a secret passage into the castle," Leliana said. "It's too narrow for our troops, but we could send agents through."
"It's too risky," Cullen objected. "Those agents would be discovered well before they reach the magister."
"I'm guessing that's where I come in," Siara sighed. "Acting as a distraction. If Alexius will even see me."
"He will," Leliana assured her. "Our reply will make sure of it."
"While they're focussed on Siara, we break the magister's defences. It could work, but it's a huge risk."
The door opened again, Siara blinking a couple of times as a Tevinter man almost strutted in.
"Fortunately, you'll have help," he said.
"Who the hell are you?" Siara asked, looking around at the advisors. "And what does he mean by 'you'll have help'?"
"This man says he has information about the magister and his methods, Commander," One of the recruits said, the Tevinter and Siara sharing a look. The man looked slightly confused that it was Siara here and not the Herald, Siara just mildly suspicious, before the Tevinter looked up and met Cullen's untrusting glare.
"Your spies will never get past Alexius' magic without my help," he explained. "So if you're going after him, I'm coming along."
"It's not a bad idea," Siara agreed. "Though I hate to say it, it would increase our chances. As it is our chances are low, lower than they would be even if it was Trevelyan going instead of me."
Cullen sighed, turning and looking to Siara. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he looked very mildly concerned.
"The plan puts you in the most danger," he said. "We can't in good conscience order you to do this."
"Oh please," Siara scoffed. "Just pay me and I'll be happy," she turned to the Tevinter, "and since we'll be working side by side, I suppose we should get to know each other a little. Names, at the very least."
"Of course," he semi bowed his head. "Dorian of house Pavus, most recently, of Minrathous."
"Such a fancy title," Siara half smiled. "Makes me feel almost bad about being plain old Siara, otherwise known as the Blade. Merc for hire," she shrugged, suddenly becoming serious. "Now we better get a move on. Longer we wait, worse the situation gets."
"Of course," Dorian agreed, turning and heading out the room, Siara pausing a moment to address the advisors before following.
"Make sure you get your people ready as soon as possible."
"Of course," Leliana assured her, "and good luck."
"Thanks," Siara half scoffed. "We're gonna need it."