Merrill blushed whenever she looked at me during dinner, which made Varric all kinds of interested. At least until I started sniping at him for failing to pick up on Meredith's evident plans. That put him on the defensive, left him stuck explaining that there a whole lot of rumors about me, and that he'd only told me the ones he'd heard the most often in his own social circles.

He'd proved it by having one of his maids come in, the Dwarven girl bashfully telling me that it was taken for granted in the Enclave that Varric had sent me to Ferelden as a favor to Hawke. A sign of how much he cared for her that he'd sent his personal bard to work in her service for a year. That the unending stream of letters had been him desperately trying to woo her, to fill the hole in his heart left by Bianca.

I'd taken the hint and eased up on him, and he'd taken the hint and stopped prying into whatever had happened between Merrill and I.

He'd even kept his mouth shut when Merrill had slept in her own room for the first time since we'd gotten back, saying nothing about it over breakfast the next morning.

Then I was off, leaving extremely early so that I could swing down to the Alienage for a proper Drain of my magic, and have a second breakfast with Elowen and her family. Then we got our own little escort of Templars, a mostly even mix of Humans and Elves commanded by Thrask, who made sure no one harassed us on our way up to the Keep.

"That's the first I've heard of those plans." Elowen admitted as we left the Alienage, the two of us speaking quietly, our armored escort formed up all around us. "I mean, Meredith did ask me to try and encourage you to come back a few times, but she didn't hint at anything like that."

"I figured you hadn't heard anything." I said, sighing quietly before going on. "This seems like some kind of political thing on her side."

Elowen's face drew into a mild scowl, her single hand tugging her cloak a bit tighter around her. "That I can believe. As much as I hate to say it, moving the Alienage to new land outside of the city itself would probably look smart to her. She makes the Lowtown merchants happy by giving them valuable land in the heart of the city, makes Hightown happy by kicking us out of the walls proper, makes us happy by giving us real land to work with..."

I grunted. "Yeah. Except history says that prosperous Elven cities piss off Humans like nothing else."

"Agreed." Her stump of a wrist waved at the buildings we were walking past, "The situation in here isn't great, but we're visibly part of the city. We've got allies inside of the walls who rely on Elven laborers and servants, and there's a whole bunch of people outside of the city who don't care either way. Farmers and such, who think the whole anti-Elf thing is an enormous waste of time and energy since most of them have never even seen an Elf in person."

"But if we're suddenly getting into farming to feed ourselves, we've suddenly got a whole bunch of Humans angry that we're cutting into their profits. Taking land they think should be theirs." I nodded in agreement. "We'll have nobles from the countryside, the kind who roll their eyes at screaming about an Elven rebellion, suddenly lining up to scream just as loudly as everyone inside the city is."

It was Elowen's turn to sigh. "Then we're in agreement that we have to turn down anything like that?"

"Definitely." Reaching out, I patted her shoulder once, "You're still the Baroness. I'm just the mouthy Knight, that hasn't changed."

Her eyes rolled, "Everyone knows that's never been true, Maeve."

"I do." I countered. "Have I ever not obeyed you?"

"Have I ever actually given you orders?" She asked in return.

"Yeah. You made me sit through Caelia's sermon last week. I sure as hell didn't do that because I wanted to."

She let out a cute little snort, her wrist-stump rising to cover her smile for a moment. "True. I suppose I did tell you that you had to show up to that. It's still a fight not to think of you as my boss though."

"You've been my boss longer." I noted. "I ran the Watch for what, a year? If that?"

"About." Elowen agreed, our pace slowing for a moment at Thrask's signal. Leaning to one side let me see several merchants dealing with a group of stubborn donkeys not interested in moving their cart across the intersection nearest the Hightown stairs, holding us up for a bit.

She went on, "But you left all of four months after my ennoblement, and you can't say that you weren't really in charge while you were here."

I had to tip my head to concede the point. "Doesn't mean I wanted to be."

"I know." It was her turn to gently pat my shoulder, smiling. "You always hated the responsibility. It was part of what made you good at leading the Watch."

"Don't bring up the 'people who don't want power are best suited to it' line." I groused. "That's both a myth and exaggeration."

There was a quiet snort. "I believe it, because I've never heard that saying. No, my point is that you might not have been a military mind, but you were very good at finding people who were and putting us in power to make the decisions you didn't feel comfortable making."

"Which was all of them." I noted.

"Some." She corrected me, raising her voice a little while one of the Templars shouted irritably for the merchants to get their beasts moving. "You were far better at the duty than you give yourself credit for, as always. Just as you're always taking far too much blame and guilt onto your shoulders."

I gave her a flat look. "I do not, and I don't need you siding with Merrill in that old argument."

"I will side with her when she's absolutely right." Elowen said firmly. "You do, Maeve. Maker knows it's practically the first thing I noticed about you."

"Liar." I countered. "First thing you noticed was my bitchiness."

She considered that, our legs finally getting moving again once the cart was out of the road. My companion spoke up again as we neatly skirted the unpleasant piles that the donkeys had left behind them.

"All right," She allowed, "It was the second or third thing, but it was definitely something I noticed."

Huffing, I shook my head, the pair of us starting up the long stairwell to the richer part of the city. "We can talk about my personal failings later. Right now we're in agreement that we don't want any more responsibility than we've already got, right?"

Elowen nodded. "Agreed. And we're not leaving the city either. At least..."

Her voice trailed off, but I understood what she hadn't said. That we'd leave the city by way of Merrill's Eluvian if we could find a safe place on the other side.

I dropped my own voice, leaning in to make sure our escort couldn't hear over the clattering of their armor. "We'll talk about that later as well. Promise."

Fingers found mine, squeezing once before letting go, her voice speaking at normal volume. "That being said, I wouldn't be opposed to involving the Watch against the Qunari. They try and sneak in someone once a month or so, and it's getting rather annoying. And... maybe shedding blood on the city's behalf would quiet some of the people coming after us."

That was a nice hope, but I thought it more likely that the anti-Elven sentiment would only rise if we proved ourselves to have any kind of martial prowess. Even if we used it on the city's behalf, it would be taken as another sign of how dangerous we were. Proof that we had to all be killed off now, before we got ideas of conquering the entire city and penning the Humans up in walled Alienages.

Because the five or six thousand elves in a city of more than sixty thousand would really be capable of that, but that was bigotry for you. Silly things like logic and facts did not need to apply.

"We'll see." I said, out of a lack of anything better to offer. "The Seeker's made it clear it's up to her on whether or not any push to drive them out will happen."

Elowen nodded, then asked me what Cassandra was like. I did my best to hedge my answer, to cut it down to just what I might have observed yesterday rather than what I'd observed in a hundred or so hours of Inquisition.

Naturally I fucked up right at the start by calling her striking, which instantly had her teasing me about having a teenage crush. We bickered good naturedly about my tastes in both men and women over the rest of the walk, drawing several quiet chortles from our escort when we got more animated.

With nothing else slowing us down, we arrived fashionably early on my guess that Cassandra and Meredith would appreciate it, a guess that proved to be true when we were let into the conference room to find the pair of them already deep in conversation at the table. Meredith was in the same seat as she'd been yesterday, though Cassandra was now at Dumar's place at the head of the table.

"Baroness, Dame." Meredith beamed like a proud parent when she saw us come in, her approval practically radiating when we both fell into Templar salutes. She rose with only the smallest grimace of pain, returning the gesture before waving us forward. "Come. Sit."

More chairs had been added today, and I pulled the one out beside Meredith for Elowen. She sat, patting one of my hands with her single one, leaving me to sit on her right.

"Seeker Pentaghast," I said, fulfilling my role as the Knight to Elowen's noble. "This is Baroness Elowen of the Kirkwall Alienage."

"Charmed." Cassandra replied, her usually blunt delivery ruining the word of most of it's hopefully intended effect. "The Knight-Commander and Dame regard you highly."

Elowen sat up a bit straighter, having clearly grown out of some of the nerves I remembered her showing before powerful Humans in the past. "I do my best to live up to their opinion of me, and to do what I must to protect my people."

Cassandra tipped her head slightly. "Well spoken. You are aware of the day's subject?"

"The Qunari." Elowen replied.

"Your opinion of the situation with them in the city?" Cassandra asked.

Elowen lifted her chin, "They are a plague that should have been smothered years ago. They've mostly given up trying to recruit directly from the Alienage, but they have brought in Elves who joined the Qunari to try and lure away men and women that they can isolate out in the city."

The Seeker's severe features pulled into a tight frown. "Is this true, Knight-Commander?"

"Yes." Meredith said. "The Night Watch and Guard capture one Qunari agent every month or so. I sat in on several interrogations and confirmed that they were of that heresy."

A quiet clearing of her throat came before Elowen went on, "The enemy is learning though. Their first attempts were clearly Elves from Tevinter, or Rivain. It was easy to identify them as foreign, and they weren't terribly subtle in their recruitment. They've begun changing it up, inserting Humans to pose as potential allies in the city. One convinced even myself. If Ser Zatris hadn't remained suspicious, and caught them leaving a dead drop of Qunari writing..."

I grimaced. "They must have gotten a more experienced member of the Ben-Hassarath into the city, probably with their own team of agents. I'd guess that there's plenty more that you haven't found yet."

"Agreed." Elowen sighed. "Mother Caelia and I think that now they're less interested in recruiting us, and more interested in driving up Elven-Human tensions in the city. Adding another risk to us trusting anyone outside of our walls, or anyone who isn't in the Order."

Cassandra drummed her fingers on the table, frowning. "Do you know this for a fact?"

My friend hesitated, then shook her head. "No, Lady Seeker. It's just a theory. And, well, to be honest, it's not like they'd really have to work all that hard to make people hate us. Most of the city already does."

That made the Seeker glance to me, then to Meredith, her resting scowl returning. "I had thought the situation for the Elves in the city greatly improved since your initiatives began."

It was my turn to clear my throat, speaking up, "Our quality of life? The best of Elves in the Free Marches. Our Alienage is clean, close to half of it is made of new construction, and we have enough allies in the Templar Order and the City's Guard that we're rarely getting directly attacked or losing people to lynch mobs anymore."

"But," Elowen took over, her voice tired. "To quote Mother Caelia, our prosperity has bred resentment. The city's commons have gone from looking down on us to coveting our homes, and the nobles remain convinced that we're an enemy within, just waiting for our chance to force them into a penned slum."

"I have heard the latter." Cassandra admitted, muttering something in French that sounded both exasperated and insulting. I didn't get it, but it made Elowen cover her lips, while Meredith openly chuckled.

At least until Cassandra exhaled, collected herself, and asked. "There is little I can do in that, besides issue a decree approving of the Knight-Commander's actions regarding the Alienage in the Divine's name."

"That would be of great help." Meredith replied. "It would certainly cow those Revered Mothers who believe I have strayed from the Maker's Path."

Cassandra nodded once. "I do not believe that you have, but I must ask, what are your plans, Knight-Commander? Be aware that you have greatly exceeded the purpose of the Templar Order already. Yes, I know that the prior Divine sanctioned you, but the situation is murkier now than it was then."

Meredith narrowed her eyes, but kept her tone level. "My plans remain as they ever have, Seeker. To maintain order within the Gallows, to protect this city from the dangers of magic, and to protect its citizens from heresy wherever possible."

Disgusted Noise. I strangled a smile.

"Yes, I know." Cassandra growled, "I am not the Grand Cleric. Do not feed me political answers, give me your actual plans."

The Knight-Commander tilted her head towards Elowen and I, "To continue recruiting from the Elven members of this March to make up for our dire need for more Templars, and our need for loyal, faithful allies within the city. To command the armed forces of Kirkwall to finally drive out the Qunari. To utilize that victory to enforce a more just peace upon this city."

That last sounded a bit ominous to me, but I didn't interrupt when she went on.

"While you have made your opinion of my push for a solution in Starkhaven clear, a powerful Kirkwall would provide an alternative should the Prince there refuse the Divine's order." Meredith went on, "After which I intend to see to the reformation of the City's Guard and Watches, and ensure that the line of succession is settled. Once such things are resolved I will be handing over my title to Knight-Captain Cullen, likely within the next few years."

I sat up a bit, blinking rapidly. "You're retiring? Like, willingly?"

She glanced around Elowen to me, the faintest smile on her lips. "Willingly? Of course not. But as much as it pains me to admit, I can barely complete the level of daily training I would expect from a recruit. The Chantry's Healers warn me that age will rob me of even that sooner rather than later."

That... was true, even if it would lead to a massive change from canon. A fucking massive change. If she retired before Inquisition began, which is what it sounded like, then Cullen would be the Knight-Commander here. Which would mean he might not want to desert the order to join the fledgling Inquisition. Hell, depending on how the Mage Rebellion began, or when it did, he might not be able to join.

Fucking Brosca. Fucking Greg. This change was not my fault, but it was something I now had to deal with.

Cassandra stopped me from asking any further questions by asking one of her own, her voice hard. "How do you mean to influence the city's succession?"

Meredith shrugged. "Saemus Dumar has made it clear he is both unworthy and unwilling, something his father is beginning to accept as well. I intend to aid him in locating a superior alternative once the Qunari and Starkhaven situations have been dealt, with one way or another."

"The Divine would not approve of further political meddling." Cassandra didn't offer it as a warning, she offered it as a hard statement. "I trust that you will have retired from your Order before any such debate about the line of succession occurred."

While phrased as a question, it was clearly a statement as well. A blunt enough one that a flash of anger let me see the furious Meredith, the one who might have gone insane on red lyrium, but the one before me retained enough self control to growl out, "Yes, Seeker."

Cassandra regarded her in a tense silence for several moments, then nodded. "Good. Then all that remains are the matters within the Circle, and the matter of the Qunari. Regarding the Gallows, my inspection last night was to my satisfaction. I believe you are doing the best you can in a difficult situation regarding its overcrowding, and its... difficult First Enchanter."

Meredith's anger didn't quite abate, despite Cassandra's nominal approval. "I again request Orisino be moved to another Circle."

"Yes, yes." Cassandra waved a hand. "I shall relay that request to the College. Again. You know they will deny it once more."

"And I continue to dispute why the College is allowed to refuse such a thing." Meredith bit off. "Or why I am not allowed to replace the First Enchanter in his position with one that is less openly rebellious."

The Seeker's nose flared a little. "I shall discuss that with the Divine as well, if you wish it, but this is not a matter for our guests."

Meredith visibly struggled to reign in her temper, managing it after a long moment. It must have taken something out of her; she visibly seemed to age as the energy departed with her emotion, leaving her looking slumped, old, broken.

I sighed, pushed myself up to my feet, and paced over to a side table to pour a cup of mulled wine.

She took it with a tight smile, apparently not noticing how I took care not to touch her in the handover. "You are not my servant, Maeve."

"You need it." I said simply, already walking back to my seat. "Actually you look like you need something stronger, but that's all that was over there."

"I hardly need to be inebriated for the conference." She countered around a sip of the liquid.

"Really?" I asked, channeling Merrill's faux innocence as best I could. "I'd have thought being drunk would make tuning out the old bats' screeching a lot easier."

Elowen snorted, Meredith visibly forced herself to keep drinking, and Cassandra gave me an unamused look.

The Knight-Commander cleared her throat when she finished, "I see you continue to lack respect for the Grand Cleric's position."

"Yup. You know why."

Her grunt said that she did. "I sympathize, as always, but mind your tongue."

I was nodding when the door finally opened, Trevelyan pushing it open to allow for said old bats to arrive. Rather late, if my estimate of the time was anything close to accurate. Cullen quickly took the seat on my right, making sure to be between me and the Grand Cleric, the various priestesses all taking their sweet time in siting. Mostly because they were busy pouring themselves wine of their own, and throwing dirty looks towards Elowen and I.

The door closing made me realize someone was missing, and I leaned closer to Cullen to ask, "No Dumar?"

A small shake of his head, "He's at the Enclave, the Guild requested he mediate a dispute. The Knight-Commander will speak for him."

"Sure he's thrilled to be there instead of here." I muttered.

"I'm sure you're right about that." He whispered back, "But I should warn you to brace yourself."

I frowned. "Why?"

"The Grand Cleric invited a Qunari delegate." My immediate tensing had him pause, going on only when I kept my reaction to just a clenching of my jaw. "She still hopes to convince the Seeker to not allow us to attack them."

Great. Fucking great.

"She invited the people we're considering attacking, to a conference about whether or not to attack them?" I demanded, barely remembering to keep my voice down. "What the actual fuck, Cullen?"

He shushed me, muttering a warning about my temper. I said something vague in reply, then leaned the other way, practically putting my mouth into Elowen's ear, whispering the warning about the Qunari to her. She tensed up just as badly as I had, hissing, "That old bitch. Why is she opposed to this?"

"She's a lunatic pacifist?" I suggested, "Fuck if I know."

Her mouth was opening again when Elthina called for everyone to sit, and for the day's discussion to begin. Once they had, the room quieting, she rose, bowing slightly before opening the conference proper.

"May the Maker's light shine upon us as we follow most blessed Andraste's path to salvation." Elthina's words had everyone but me bowing their heads as well. I hesitated for an extra beat, then ducked down a little to avoid standing out too much. "Let her example and words guide us forward in all things."

Once again everyone but me reacted, murmuring their assent. Fortunately that part was loud enough that I didn't think anyone would notice my lack of participation, heads rising nearly in unison.

Elthina waited a beat, then calmly went on. "Today we have a most serious matter to discuss. It is my fervent wish for blessed peace to continue to reign over the Marches, for the triumph of our Maker to come not through the chaos of bloodshed, but through the truth of our faith. Through the victory of the argument over those lost souls who have succumbed to heresy. It is my wish that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past, and unleash a general war upon all of Thedas."

She paused, turning to her left, clearly looking at our little bloc in our corner of the table. When none of us interrupted, and when Cassandra made a somewhat impatient gesture, she went on.

"To that end, I sent a message to the Qunari Compound within our city, to request a diplomat be sent to explain their purpose within the city. To calm any fears that they are the vanguard of a new invasion." Elthina turned the other way, raising her voice. "Please send him in."

The door opened to admit the Qunari. For a brief moment his size and skin tone made me fear that it was Iron Bull, but the moment passed as I got a better look at him. He was wearing a formal shirt and coat, complete with tails, along with what might have been suit pants. His horns were far smaller than Bull's, swept back along his skull, framing a face that most women would have considered handsome.

He certainly had a politician's smile though. Genial, comforting, and patently fake.

"Good morning." His voice was as deep as any Kossith's, his accent fairly neutral. "If I may, I wish to give my sincere thanks for being allowed to speak to the representatives of the Southern Chantry."

Elthina inclined her head slightly, remaining the only one standing at the table. "It is good that your people finally agreed to speak with us properly. How do you wish to be addressed?"

"You may call me Beresaad." He replied, still all smiles. "In your tongue, I believe that Diplomat is a fair translation."

My snort had a dozen eyes swing my way, Elthina's among them.

"Lady Maeve?" She inquired, just as politely. "You disagree?"

I took care to lose my normal, casual tones, replacing them with my more formal enunciation. "He's a solider in the Antaam's vanguard. Diplomacy is one of his jobs, but it is secondary at best. He is a military scout, first and foremost. A gatherer of information, of intelligence."

Beresaad smiled, "A gross oversimplification, but perhaps as close as an outsider may come to understanding my role. And I am more specialized in that secondary role of diplomacy than most of my rank."

"It is also," Elthina noted, "Not especially relevant, Lady."

"I believe it is." I replied. "With respect, Grand Cleric, the Qunari utilize their literal language as a shield in conversations such as this. They enjoy leaving out crucial details in order to deceive without directly lying."

The Revered Mother across from me cleared her throat, speaking in an obnoxiously thick Orlesian accent. "You can wait to accuse them of lying until later. Let us hear the Beresaad out."

I glowered at her, an expression she returned in kind, but I kept my mouth shut when Elowen poked me with her stump under the table.

For his part, the Beresaad didn't seem bothered by my accusation, but neither did he respond directly to it. Instead he simply bowed his head, the very picture of eight feet of contrition, and spoke to the Grand Cleric.

"I will be happy to answer any questions you may have." He said, "Some I may not be able to answer, but I will plainly state as much."

My fingers twitched at the blatant shot at my accusation.

Elthina tilted her head once again, "Thank you. I would ask, as the Viscount and Knight-Commander have in the past, as to why your people remain within our city. The original agreement with your Arishok was simply for your people to remain until transport could be arranged to take them home."

He seemed about to reply when Meredith spoke, cutting him off. "Transport that has already come and gone, taking your Arishok with it. More ships have come, and delivered supplies rather than evacuating your forces in the year since as well."

"It is the former Arishok now." Beresaad corrected politely. "He was relieved of his position for his failures, but that is a separate matter. While it is true that a great many of our people remain within our compound here, in truth it is far less than there once were. The Arishok did not leave alone, a great many of his personal formation departed with him, and more of the Antaam have departed on those same ships bringing supplies to those that remain."

I seriously doubted that. The spies and agents they'd been using to try to co-opt the Alienage, again, had to have come from somewhere. It was likely that at least one Qunari had gotten off the boats for every man the Arishok had taken back with him. God alone knew how many more had come in with the supplies.

Something of my thoughts have shown on my face because the Beresaad paused, glanced to me, and added, "In truth all would have already departed, had pirate activity not caused a great strain on our shipping."

Another twitch, my jaw clenching to stop me from calling him out on the bullshit.

"I will, however, admit that we do not intend to fully depart the city." He surprised me a little with that, at least until he went on, "We do intend to downsize heavily, to cut the outpost's population down to a dozen, perhaps two, as you count them. Let me use this moment to formally request that it be considered an embassy between those who follow the Qun, and this Free March of Kirkwall."

The Grand Cleric's voice warmed, several of the Chantry reps around the table looking tremendously cheered.

"Open dialog would be most welcome in the interests of peace." Elthina said, "It is a shame that it has taken your people so long to understand this."

"Pray forgive us," And fuck me but he actually put a hand on his heart, bowing forward, "Our experiences with the Tevinter Imperium have left us constantly wary of deception and ill intent in our dealings with the southern nations."

"A most understandable attitude." Elthina replied. "If I may ask, before the Knight-Commander does, do you have a schedule prepared? Perhaps an outline of how much of your compound will be returned to the people of the city?"

He did, laying it out flawlessly. The withdrawal would take place over the course of the year, with two major convoys arriving to move the soldiers out in two waves. One around midsummer, and the last in the late fall, completing things before the sea got rough again in the winter. As for the compound, they would happily return it all if they could be provided with lodgings suitable for an ambassador elsewhere.

Elthina promptly agreed that she would locate a suitable building, thanking him for returning the buildings and land in their totality.

The Beresaad was damned good. He brought up a rueful chuckle, as though embarrassed to have his own words twisted around like that, and agreed to her terms. Elowen and I were stuck silently fuming the entire time, with only warning glares from Meredith keeping our mouths shut.

"You have this city's utmost thanks." Elthina said, after perhaps an hour of negotiating all of the fine details. "Now, I am sure that the Baroness and Dame wish to ask you a few questions of their own?"

I started to say that we sure as hell did, but Elowen's foot promptly crushed several of my toes. A heavy breath was all that came out, leaving her free to speak, even if her voice was as coldly angry as I felt.

"We do not." She said, openly glaring at the enormous man.

The slightest tension around Elthina's eyes told me that Elowen had been right to stomp on my foot. Elthina must have been hoping that my temper, which she definitely knew about, would erupt and cause problems. Would make Cassandra rethink whatever we'd been talking about in private, and more importantly, shame Meredith in front of the Chantry's bigwigs.

"I see." Elthina recovered, the moment passing so quickly I might have imagined her irritation at Elowen's dodge. "Perhaps the Beresaad wishes to ask Lady Maeve as to the fates of those missing ships?"

"I would." The Beresaad replied, turning to face me directly for the first time since the start of this farce. "How many of those unfortunate sailors survived your assaults?"

I inhaled through my nose, letting out through my lips. "I couldn't say how many survived swimming to shore, but I know that many realized just how much of a lie your Qun is. They crewed the prizes we took, and found new lives in the harbors we led them to."

That was an exaggeration. Maybe a few dozen had, spread out over the ten or eleven Qunari ships we'd taken. There had been one incident though; a Qunari galley we'd taken had seen its oarsmen turn on their leaders, killing them before we got into range. Evidently they hadn't appreciated being told to fight to the death after being forced to row to exhaustion trying, and failing, to stay ahead of us. We'd let them live, guiding them to Antiva City, and even the few Kossith among them had been almost pathetically grateful.

"I suspect that is an exaggeration, if not a lie." Beresaad said in reply. "If I may also ask, where does your hatred for my people come from, Lady? I have heard the claims that you are from strange, northern lands, far beyond our own. We have seen no such lands in our voyages, and have no records of quarrels with your people."

And there he neatly brought back old doubts about my origin story. Fucking lovely.

"I'm sure you don't." I said, voice flat. "But we heard of you. Tal-Vashoth refugees reached our shores when I was young, and they were all too willing to tell of the horrors of living in your pathetic culture. Would you like me to expound upon that?"

Elthina spoke before he could, "Such discussions are not for this time."

I didn't bother hiding my disdain in my otherwise obedient words. "As you say, Grand Cleric."

That got me more dark looks from everyone, and narrowed eyes from both Cassandra and Meredith.

The old bitch said a few more words to the Beresaad before formally allowing him to go, turning to the Seeker once he'd departed.

"Does this plan meet with your approval, Seeker? Would it earn the approval of Most Holy Justinia?" Elthina asked. "May we remain at peace?"

Cassandra tapped a finger on the desk several times, clearly thinking before she spoke.

"The plan as outlined will be acceptable to the Divine." She said finally. "However, I will say that all in this city must remain wary. Lady Maeve is correct in that the Qunari often manage deception despite their apparently clear words. Knight-Commander?"

"Seeker?" Meredith asked.

"If the Qunari's first convoy does not arrive within two weeks of their schedule, or if they prove to be bringing forces instead of evacuating them..." Cassandra shook her head once, "...the Order of the Seekers commands the Templar Order to destroy them. You have permission to recruit a formation of Battle-Mages from among the Enchanters of your Circle to aid you in that task."

Elthina frowned, "Seeker-"

"That is final, Grand Cleric." Cassandra cut her off. "I agree that we must try for peace, but we must also prepare for battle if the Qunari prove duplicitous. I do not for a moment believe those ships preyed upon by the Lady Maeve in her role as a Ferelden privateer were intended to evacuate anyone."

The same Mother who'd chastised me spoke up, her voice more hesitant. "It... is my belief that the Divine would agree, Grand Cleric. We must hope and pray for peace, but the heretics are just that. Heretics. This city has been burned by their kind before, and must not be allowed to burn again. It would be a most inauspicious beginning to Most Holy's tenure."

Elthina glanced around the table, and clearly recognized that none of the other Chantry reps were about to go against the Hand of the Divine either.

She bowed graciously, "Then I shall pray most fervently that such a battle never comes."

Oh it would. It definitely would. If there was some great cosmic force trying to make things return to something like canon, this was definitely it. I didn't believe for a second that the Qunari were leaving, that any ships that were coming would have anything less than enough supplies and soldiers to dissuade us from attacking. That had been what the ones we'd intercepted had been carrying, and I doubted we'd dissuaded them from trying again.

A full convoy of troops, supplies, and weapons would give them a proper outpost in the south. A place from which to prepare their second grand invasion, to be led by the Ben-Hassarath decapitating nations rather than the Antaam trying to smash their armies in the field. At least, if I remembered the expansion right, that had been their general plan once they'd analyzed why their first invasion had failed.

If I was right, and I was sure I was, that meant that the Qunari ships would be getting here just after Isabella did.

Meaning my odds of getting out of here before the city blew up, again, were basically nil.

...and thanks to Elthina inviting the Beresaad today, I was equally certain that the Qunari would know we were coming.