Anders needed to see Abigail next.
He actually came to her home, instead of asking her to come to the clinic. He and Nathaniel had both been up to the Hawke mansion more often lately, as the Templars had been sniffing around the clinic more and more often. They'd already had to move the clinic's location twice before.
“You know about the Circle misusing the Rite of Tranquility,” Anders said, pacing back and forth.
Abigail nodded with a scowl. “I remember.”
“There's been more Tranquil in the Gallows lately,” Anders said. “The underground—there are people who keep track of this sort of thing, and there's definitely more than there used to be.”
“The underground? What does that mean?”
“There are mages who help other mages,” Anders explained, waving a hand. “People who aren’t happy with the Circles, who want things to change. I can’t tell you much more than that.”
“Why not?”
“Bethany,” he said. “If Meredith were to find out that you know too much about us, she could hurt Bethany to get to you.”
Abigail looked away. “I—yes. She could.” she furrowed her brow, then looked back at Anders. “Is it possible these people of yours could—help Bethany?”
Anders grimaced. “We’ve been trying,” he explained. “But they’re keeping a tight hold on her, moreso than the other mages. I think they do want to use her as a means to get to you, but you haven’t done anything too suspect yet.”
Abigail bit her lip. “Alright,” she said. “Alright. What’s this about the Tranquil?”
“Since we already know the Templars have used Tranquility illegally before, we’ve been keeping track of it,” he explained, chewing on his lip. His brow was furrowed and he was restless, unable to stop pacing. “And there’s definitely some mages who were already Harrowed.”
Abigail drummed her fingers on her desk, her brow knitted. “Who told you?” she asked. “Are you sure the information is good?”
Anders waved a hand. “A Templar—ser Thrask. Or—he was a Templar, until his daughter came up with magic, and he helped her escape.” he gave a cold smirk. “I suppose he didn't care until it happened to his own kin.”
Abigail closed her eyes. “That is how it can happen, it’s true.”
“Either way, this Ser Thrask, he's been in contact with the underground, and he can give us lists of Tranquil mages.”
Abigail steepled her fingers. “Is there any possibility of a genuine mistake?” she asked. “Elthina was able to claim what happened to Karl as an accident. Is there any way they could claim these as accidents too?”
“I don’t see how, not if there’s a shred of decency in them,” Anders growled. “But it’s possible they could claim a mistake. There’s a lot more mages than there used to be—Thrask has given us population numbers, and I’m honestly not sure how they’re feeding everyone. With that many people, it'd be easy for them to say their records got mixed up.” his lip curled and his eyes flashed blue for a moment.
Abigail raised her eyebrows. “Do you think we could bring that to someone in authority?” she asked. “Would overcrowding count as mistreatment?”
Anders shook his head. “No,” he said, then paused. “Well, if you could prove it was dangerous—the entire point of Circles is that too many mages unsupervised in one place is dangerous.” he rolled his eyes. “But on a basis that mages deserve not to be in bad living conditions? You’d never sell it.”
“It might be something to note,” Abigail said. “Why are there so many more mages in the Gallows now?”
At this, Anders looked pensive. “They've been at the Vashothari communities, I’m not sure why. And I hear they’ve been at the Dalish, too.” he frowned. “We're keeping an eye on that, too. But no, we've been counting, and not only are there more Tranquil every day, some of them are definitely Harrowed mages. At least one of them was a contact of ours.”
“And it's still illegal to perform the Rite on a Harrowed mage.”
“Yes.” Anders chewed on his fingernails. “We think they've been doing it to anyone who speaks out against them—and Ser Thrask believes there's at least one Templar who's brought the idea of turning every mage in Kirkwall Tranquil to the Grand Cleric.”
Abigail looked at him sharply. “Who?”
“Ser Alrik,” Anders said with a sneer. “Nasty piece of work—I've had a run-in or two with him myself. Likes to make mages beg.”
“Alright, but that's one Templar,” Abigail said. “One Templar doesn’t have much influence. Who's been doing the illegal Harrowings?”
“Meredith and Orsino are the only ones who can ratify an order for the Rite,” Anders said. “Just like Meredith and Orsino are the only ones who can sign off on a successful Harrowing. But that doesn't matter!” Anders insisted. “Ser Alrik has supporters—if he gets Meredith or Cullen on his side, the Grand Cleric would hear them out. They're already using the Rite more than they should be doing—we have to take care of this! You know using the Rite more widely is something that would make sense to them, especially with the way things are now!”
“Then we should speak to the Grand Cleric first,” Abigail said. “I don't want to go tearing off with no proof--”
“Oh, you know what she'll say!” Anders burst out. “She won't give a damn! She doesn't even care that Templars were disappearing under her watch—what makes you think she'd care anything about mages? We've told her, over and over again, that Meredith breaks the laws and she doesn't care!”
“Anders,” Abigail said. “It can't hurt to double check. And the more evidence we get—well, Aveline might be able to bypass the Grand Cleric altogether and appeal to the Viscount.”
“We've tried that before,” Anders insisted. “It never works!”
“Then we can send off to the Grand Cathedral for the Seekers,” Abigail said. “I'm a noble, I can do that, and it's the Seekers' job to stop the Templars breaking Chantry law. It's not a perfect solution, but--”
“It's not a solution at all!” Anders snapped, his eyes gleaming for a moment. “The moment the Templars knew the Seekers were coming, they'd shut down the Circle—they’d close it off completely until they had their story straight.”
“If they turned Seekers aside, that's as good as waging war on the Chantry itself. They would be seceding. They would have to be committed to a siege.” she shook her head. “That would be insane, no matter how wild these Templars have gotten, they would never go against the Chantry like that.”
“You’d be surprised,” Anders’ tone was dark.
Abigail shook her head again. “Surely they wouldn’t be that mad,” she insisted. “It would make no sense.”
“The Seekers don't matter anyway,” Anders waved a hand. “They're the ones who chased Surana—and the rest of us—out of Ferelden! It'd probably be a load off the bloody Lord Seeker's mind if the Kirkwall mages were all Tranquil!”
“Yes, but it's their law,” Abigail insisted. “I mean—they'd care about Chantry law being broken, surely?”
Anders gave a dark laugh. “Spoken by a mage who's never been in a Circle,” he said. “When it comes to mages, the Seekers don't give a damn how many laws they break.”
“We should go to the Grand Cleric,” Abigail said again, placing her hands flat on the table. “Anyway, if this—Tranquil solution—is really going to happen, we won't stand a chance trying to fight all the Templars in the Gallows. If we go to her, and Aveline, and tell them both about our suspicions, we'll look a lot less like mad apostates and a lot more like concerned citizens.”
Anders took several deep breaths. “Fine,” he raised his hands. “Fine—but if it doesn't work, I'll bloody well kill Alrik myself.”
“That seems fair enough,” Abigail said.
They went to Aveline first and explained he situation. She recommended they talk to the Grand Cleric as well, and came with them to the Chantry.
Aveline's presence was what got them in to see the Grand Cleric sooner rather than later.
“Guard-Captain,” Elthina greeted them with a soft smile. “What a pleasure to see you again, my child. And...Abigail Hawke, I believe.”
“Yes, Your Eminence,” Abigail said.
“Leandra Amell's daughter.”
“Leandra Hawke is her married name,” Abigail corrected. “But yes.”
“I had not realized, at our last meeting, you came from such a prestigious family,” Elthina said. “I knew your grandparents well.” she turned to Anders. “And you, Ser?”
“Anders,” he gritted.
“Just Anders?”
“Yes.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lad. Now, what is it you three might need? I hope it is nothing too worrisome.”
“Do you know of a Templar by the name of Ser Alrik?” Abigail asked.
Elthina pursed her lips, and a shadow passed over her eyes. “Yes,” she said. “He has sent Meredith and myself several missives.”
“What about?” Abigail asked, leaning forward.
“It matters little,” Elthina said. “He is an older man, you know. He has been in the Order almost his entire life. His mind begins to fail him.” she sighed, looking immeasurably sad. “Any changes he would wish to implement are impossible—ridiculous, even.”
“The Templars have broken Chantry law before this,” Abigail said. “Don't you worry that he might, too?”
Elthina’s gaze was sharp. “Why do you ask?”
Abigail shrugged. “Past behavior is the best indicator for future behavior.”
“We have reason to believe Alrik, and the Gallows Templars, have been implementing unnecessary uses of the Rite of Tranquility,” Aveline said. “Chantry law is very clear that a Harrowed mage cannot be made Tranquil, and yet at least one has been.”
“I remember,” Elthina said. “You brought this to my attention some time ago.”
“And is that not a source of concern to you?”
“Karl Thekla being made Tranquil was a tragic accident, as I have told you,” Elthina said. Anders flinched. “His identity was confused with another mage's, and the Rite of Tranquility was performed before the mistake could be rectified. It was an accident.”
“How could you possibly mistake his identity?” Anders snapped. “You have phylacteries!”
Elthina regarded Anders with a sad expression. “Accidents will happen,” she said. “Templars are by no means perfect.”
“How can you say that?” Anders demanded, getting to his feet. “Other Harrowed mages have been made Tranquil—Karrace Minris, Serena Chandler, Janice--”
“And do you have any proof of this?” Elthina asked. “This is a very serious claim.”
“Proof?” Anders snarled. “Is it not enough for--”
“Anders,” Aveline said, putting a hand on his arm. She looked at the Grand Cleric. “Please, if you could just look up the names--”
“I know the names,” Elthina opened a drawer in her desk and took out a book with the symbol of the Circle on it. She thumbed through it, her brow furrowed. “You are mistaken, Ser.” she told Anders. “None of those mages passed their Harrowing.”
“But--!”
“I understand you are concerned,” Elthina said. She leaned forward over the desk. “Ser, I believe I recognize your name. I know you do a great deal of good for Darktown,” she said. Anders went white. “A decent apothecary is sorely needed. I suggest you do that, instead of bothering the Templars. Believe me, my son,” she smiled gently. “We can take care of our own.”
They left the Chantry then, Elthina claiming that she had other appointments. When they were several blocks away from the Chantry, Anders had to stop and catch his breath. He was so pale that he'd gone gray, and there was a tinge of green about his lips.
“Maker,” Anders dug his fingers into his chest, shoulders heaving. “Oh, Maker, she knows—how does she know--”
“If she knows, Why hasn't she sent the Templars right to you door?” Aveline asked with a frown.
“I don't know,” Anders shook his head and leaned heavily against a nearby wall. “I have no idea—what is she waiting for, what is she doing—?”
“Maybe she actually does appreciate the work you're doing in Darktown,” Aveline bit her lip in thought. “The Grand Cleric has said she is moderate when it comes to mages--”
“But she isn't,” Abigail said. “If she were moderate, this wouldn't be happening. That was a threat.”
“But why would she threaten me when she could just drag me to the Templars?” Anders demanded.
“What possible reason would she have for letting an apostate run loose?” Aveline pointed out.
Abigail went pale. “Anders. She knows about the underground.”
Anders stared at her, his face bloodless. “What?”
“She has to,” Abigail said, grabbing his arm.
Anders shook his head. “If she did, why wouldn't she just send in her Templars?”
“If she did that, you would just set up somewhere else,” Abigail's mind raced, horror making her gut churn. “It'd take months to find them again. If they got you specifically, Darktown would be angry about their missing healer.” she looked at him. “And now she knows you know. She's telling you not to do anything suspicious—because she knows everything.”
"But what would be the point?" Aveline demanded.
“How could she know, anyway?” Anders demanded.
“I don't know,” Abigail shook her head. “Wait—what about Thrask? That Templar you said was sympathetic, what about him?”
“Oh no,” Anders ran a hand through his hair, eyes wide.
"If there's a Templar informant, mages that you help would just go right back to her," Abigail breathed. "And--and if she doesn't want to chase you off--"
"She'd want me to keep going," Anders was shaking. "And she knows me. And she knows I know--so I can't--"
“Anders, if the Grand Cleric knows about you, you can't go after Alrik,” Abigail said, her face pale.
“I cannot let him do as he pleases!” Anders' voice took on Justice's echoing quality, and his eyes gleamed bright blue.
“Anders,” Aveline said, grabbing his arm. “Enough.”
Justice snarled at her, shaking her off.
“We need to see Nathaniel,” Abigail said. “Sigrun and Velanna, too.”
“What have they to do with it?” Justice demanded.
“Anders,” Abigail hissed. “Breathe. We’re still in Hightown, for the Maker’s sake!”
Anders closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. Slowly, the blue light died. “Why do you want to see them?” he hissed.
Abigail frowned. “If she knows about you, she might know about them,” she said. “And if she knows about them and she hasn’t called the Templars...”
“Something else is going on,” Aveline said. “You’re right. We have to talk to them.”
They all gathered at Sigrun and Velanna's house. Velanna was furious, pacing back and forth and worrying at her fingernails.
“How could you just go to her?” Velanna demanded of Anders. “Just go and talk with that dratted woman? You—you--”
“If I hadn’t, I’d never know that she knew who I was,” Anders snapped.
“And what do we do about that?” Sigrun asked, looking nervous and shifting from foot to foot.
“You should run,” Abigail said. “Leave Kirkwall.”
“And go where?” Anders demanded. “Orlais? Back to Ferelden? Antiva? That is if we could even get out of the city--”
“There's got to be a way to leave,” Abigail chewed her fingernail.
“I can't just leave!” Anders snapped. “I won't run away—not again! Not after Vigil's Keep, and not when these people need me!”
“We can’t stay here anymore,” Nathaniel shook his head. “This mess—it’s like a pit of vipers.”
“Nathaniel, you can’t be serious!” Anders exclaimed.
“If she knows about you, she’s going to know about the rest of us soon, if she doesn’t already,” Nathaniel pointed out. “We need to leave.”
“What about all these people? What about everyone here who needs us?” Anders swept his hands outward.
“We’re no good to anyone dead,” Sigrun said.
Anders laughed. “That’s rich, coming from you!”
“Maybe,” Sigrun shrugged. “But it’s true.”
“Where would we even go?” Anders demanded again. “Back to Ferelden? One of the Dalish Clans? Orzammar? We already tried that before--”
“Maybe we can get to Rivain,” Sigrun said. “They’re pretty friendly to mages, and you can catch ships there from here--”
“And then what?” Anders snapped. “Spend the rest of our lives running from Templars?” he shook his head, and his eyes gleamed blue. “No, no. Not again.”
“What is her game?” Abigail paced back and forth.
“What?”
“What is the Grand Cleric planning?” Abigail muttered.
“What does it matter?” Velanna asked. “All we know is she is set against us.”
“But she knows you’re here,” Abigail said. “And she might know about your underground. Why does she not just arrest you now? That would get a lot of mages at once...”
“How am I supposed to know that?” Anders threw up his hands. “Maybe she’s a bloody lunatic—it would fit the pattern well enough.”
“There’s got to be a larger plan here,” Abigail said, shaking her head.
“Why?” Sigrun asked. “Maybe she’s not on anybody’s side. Maybe she’s playing both sides against the middle. Who knows? All I know is, we have to get out of here.”
“Where are you going to go?” Anders snapped again.
“Orzammar?” Sigrun suggested. “Maybe we can leave with one of the Vashothari groups--”
“As if we’d ever pass for Tal-Vashoth,” Nathaniel rolled his eyes. “Not with the tattoos the two of you have.” he pointed at Velanna and Sigrun.
“Maybe we could find one of Surana’s friends,” Nathaniel tried.
“Why not find Surana herself?” Abigail asked.
“We have no idea where she is,” Anders shook his head. “The last was saw of her, she was riding off with her witch.”
“She left so the Templars would follow her, and not us,” Sigrun said, putting a hand on Anders’ shoulder. She spoke as if she had explained this time and time again.
“Witch?” Aveline asked.
“Asha’bella’nar mentioned her, I believe,” Velanna said with a frown. “A woman named Morrigan. She aided Surana during the Blight. The point of the matter is, we have no idea where she is.”
“Chances are, she either headed to Orzammar, or lost herself somewhere far away from any of this,” Nathaniel said, rubbing his forehead. “Which is what we should have done.”
“Orzammar is probably our best bet,” Sigrun said with a sigh.
“And how exactly would you get there?” Anders wanted to know, waving his hands. “We tried to get there the first time, remember? What exactly would be different now? If anything, there’ll be more darkspawn in the Deep Roads!”
“Weisshaupt?” Sigrun said. “We could go to the other Wardens--”
“Then you’d run into the same problem again, wouldn’t you?” Abigail asked. “If they drove Surana out of Vigil’s Keep, they’d be coming for the rest soon enough, wouldn’t they?”
Sigrun sat down and heaved a sigh. “I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe we should just take our chances in the Deep Roads. Kal’hirol is friendly enough.”
“With the Architect down there?” Anders snorted. “Right. And Kal’hirol is too close to Vigil’s Keep, you know that.”
“Well, what do you suggest, Anders?” Sigrun demanded.
“I suggest we not run with our tails between our legs,” Anders snapped. “I suggest we stay and fight the Chantry. Let them know they can’t do this.”
“And how do we do that?” Nathaniel asked. “We can hardly help anyone if the Chantry knows we’re here.”
“Velanna, what about you?” Anders asked, rounding on her. “You hardly have any love for the Chantry—why don’t you want to stay?”
Velanna put a hand on Sigrun’s shoulder. “If I were by myself, I would stay, and defend against those bloodthirsty dogs,” she said. “But I am not by myself.”
Anders stared from her, to Sigrun, to Nathaniel.
“Anders,” Nathaniel said. “We can’t stay here.”
Anders folded his arms. “Leave if you want,” he snapped. “I won’t.”
After much debate, it was decided that Velanna, Sigrun, and Nathaniel would make a break for the Deep Roads, trying to get to Kal’hirol and perhaps eventually to Orzammar. They knew Queen Aeducan probably wouldn’t like it, and if the Chantry learned the Wardens were there, there was no telling what would happen, but it was their only option.
Anders was unhappy about this.
“I’m not going,” Anders growled. “It’s an idiot decision.”
“Anders--” Nathaniel grabbed his arm. “--Justice--please, think, for a moment--”
“I am thinking,” Anders yanked out of Nathaniel’s hold. “And I am not going.”
Nathaniel sighed. “If—if you truly don’t want to, I suppose I can’t force you,” he said, running a hand through his hair.
‘You can’t.”
“Anders...” Nathaniel put a hand on Anders’ shoulder. “Please, look after yourself, will you?”
Anders softened, and sighed. “I will, Nathaniel,” Anders murmured.
No one was happy to hear the Wardens were leaving. Merrill came over to Velanna and Sigrun’s to try and help them pack.
“Oh, I wish you didn’t have to go,” Merrill said, hugging Velanna very tightly.
Velanna patted her back. “It—it will be alright,” she said, the tremor in her voice giving her thoughts away.
“Are you sure?” Merrill held onto Velanna even more tightly. “Oh—Velanna, this is terrible.”
“I know,” Velanna soothed. “Ir abelas, lethallin.”
“We’ll be fine,” Sigrun assured her, ruffling her hair. “Won’t we, ibine?”
Velanna gave a slightly watery smile. “Of course.”
Merrill sighed and pulled away from Velanna. “Don’t make promises you might not keep,” she said, her tone serious.
“Maybe I want to promise to myself I’ll be fine, too,” Sigrun said. She smiled, but there was an edginess to her smile.