When Lambert returned to the Grand Cathedral, he immediately sought a meeting with Nicolene.
“Lambert,” Nicolene greeted him.
“Lady Seeker,” Lambert inclined his head.
“What news do you bring?” Nicolene asked.
“Surana is dangerous,” Lambert said. “And she abuses the power of the wardens to her own advantage.”
“Mm,” Nicolene nodded.
“She drew herself into an altercation with several Templars,” he said. “Who were attempting to arrest the apostate, Anders.”
“I understand that particular apostate is a criminal?”
“Yes, well under the authority of the Chantry. The Templars only let him join the Wardens because they suspected it would cause too much trouble to arrest him openly.”
“I can't speak much for their tactics,” Nicolene said, stroking her chin. “Better to have firstly enforced the law of the Chantry, rather than wait and use subterfuge. This incident will only give the Ferelden Crown and the Wardens the power to say that the Templars are duplicitous and obey their own laws only when it suits them.'
“The city of Amaranthine is also destroyed, by Surana's hand,” Lambert said.
Nicolene paused for a minute, considering that. She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “You are sure it was Surana?”
“Surana burned the city of Amaranthine rather than attempting to save it,” Lambert said, his expression icy. “She preferred to salvage her own Keep instead of the innocents in the city.”
“And these unusual darkspawn there were reports of?”
“Gone,” Lambert growled. “I have encountered nothing of the kind. There is no evidence that they even existed, apart from the word of Surana and those on Surana's side.”
“I understand that both the Keep and Amaranthine suffered darkspawn attacks, however,” Nicolene said, wrinkling her brow.
“Darkspawn attacks, yes, but nothing to confirm this nonsense about talking darkspawn.” Lambert said. “I have seen nothing unusual, merely an increased number of darkspawn.”
Nicolene leaned forward. “Would that not indicate something unusual?” she asked.
“Perhaps,” Lambert said. “But I believe it is possible that Surana orchestrated this entire farce,”
Nicolene stared at him, her expression unreadable. “And why is that possible?”
“I have seen far worse for far less in Tevinter,” Lambert said. “Think on it—the darkspawn attack Vigil's Keep and kill the Orlesian Wardens, leaving Surana with no opposition. The Fereldans practically worship her after the defeat of the Archdemon, and she has the backing of the King, meaning that even without a title the nobility are loathe to listen to her. New darkspawn would frighten the uneducated, leaving her with a reason to martial her own forces and acquire new Wardens—to her liking, of course.”
“And how does the burning of Amaranthine factor? That would hardly endear her to the populace.”
“If Amaranthine was a threat to her martial power, destroying it would leave Vigil's Keep the sole authority in the area,” Lambert explained. “All other nobles have little martial power to oppose her, even with her own lack of noble title. The Gray Wardens would have control over the area, and therefore it would only further enforce King Alistair's own rule.”
“Hm,” Nicolene leaned forward. “And the Circle would have a mage to look up to—someone who has quite openly defied the Chantry and Chantry regulations, with little consequence.”
“Considering she has two apostates in her ranks, one a murderer? Yes, exactly so.”
Nicolene was quiet for a moment, considering. “Her influence has gone too far,” she said. “King Alistair alone has shifted the balance of power in Ferelden over to the Gray Wardens, but Surana is directly flouting Chantry authority.”
“We cannot allow her to do so,” Lambert said.
“I agree,” Nicolene said. “She has already been removed from noble status, but it quite clear she is too much of a danger to go unchecked.” she got to her feet. “Clearly, King Alistair is incapable of reigning her in—or he is actively allowing her to continue, for the sake of the Gray Wardens.”
“That makes him a threat as well, of course,” Lambert said.
“He can be convinced of the correct course,” Nicolene argued. “He was to be a Templar before the Wardens recruited him. He married Queen Anora to prevent war—he clearly cares enough about Ferelden to stop Surana from tearing it apart.”
“He cannot be pleased with the burning of Amaranthine,” Lambert said.
“No. He cannot.” Nicolene began to pace. “If we forcibly return Surana to the Circle with no backing from the Divine, we expose ourselves as too aggressive, and to the Fereldens, even hostile. If, as you say, they hold a great admiration for Surana, we must have more credibility than she does.” she bit her lip. “However, the Divine rarely authorizes anything for herself these days.”
“You believe the Grand Clerics will not be amicable to this course of action.”
“You know the Mothers,” Nicolene waved a hand. “Unwilling to take action, unless it is through other actors. They would not have the Chantry strained with potential blood.” she gnawed on her thumbnail. “However, if we appealed to the Divine directly, without going through one of the Grand Clerics--”
“Ah,” Lambert nodded. “Then her words are ours, not theirs, to interpret.”
“Precisely.”
So it was that Nicolene went to see the Divine.
Divine Beatrix was very, very old, and had been dying by inches for years. Her mind came and went, and mostly, she slept.
Now she lay in her enormous bed, far too large for the small, frail woman. Her Templar guards had let Nicolene inside without so much as a passing question. Everyone knew the Lady Seeker, after all, and as Templars, they were beholden to the Seekers.
Nicolene knelt by Beatrix's bedside.
“Your Worship,” she murmured, averting her eyes from Beatrix's face, as was only proper. “There is something I must do.”
In the doorway appeared Cassandra, her brow furrowed.
“Lady Seeker?” she asked.
Nicolene looked up. “One moment, Cassandra,' she said. She turned back to Beatrix. “There is a person I must take action against,” she said, softer now. “A Gray Warden. Will you allow it?”
Beatrix opened her eyes and looked at Nicolene. Her brown eyes clouded with cataracts, the color almost obscured my milky white.
“Your Worship,” Nicolene breathed in Beatrix's ear. “We need your word.”
Beatrix blinked, her hazy eyes unfocused.
Cassandra watched Beatrix whisper to Nicolene, but she couldn’t hear what it was. Nicolene listened intently, than straightened, satisfied.
“Cassandra,” she said. “Tell Lambert I am going to Denerim.”
“Why?” Cassandra asked as Nicolene strode out the door. “What business have you in Denerim? What did you need to speak to the Divine for?”
“We are taking care of the Surana problem.”
“The Surana problem?” Cassandra followed Nicolene. “What problem?”
“That woman is a menace,” Nicolene said. “She flouts Warden power, abusing it to her own ends. She threatened Templars out of legal action, and burned the city of Amaranthine rather than let it be saved. The Wardens have demonstrated they cannot keep a leash on her. I believe it is possible Surana may make an attempt for the Ferelden throne, or something similar.”
“And why did you need to speak to the Divine?” Cassandra asked. “Surely the Grand Clerics would understand--”
“They would take no action,” Nicolene said. “You know priests and Clerics, Cassandra. They spend far too much time talking and none acting. We must prevent Surana from making the south another Tevinter.”
“You believe she would do that?” Cassandra asked, aghast.
“She is a mage,” Nicolene said. “Many of them would do that if they could. And she can.”
“I—as you say, Lady Seeker,” Sassandra said. “Do you wish Lambert or any of the other Seekers to accompany you?”
“A contingent of Orlesian Templars,” Nicolene said. “They must be Orlesian, mind, not Fereldan—Fereldens are too susceptible to hero-worshipping the woman, even Templars.”
“And Lambert?”
“He will stay here, to maintain order.”
“Yes, Lady seeker.”
Cassandra watched Nicolene walk down the hall, her brow furrowed. Her stomach churned with unease.
She did not like how this was heading.