Lanaya ran a hand over her face. “I knew something like this would happen soon,” she groaned. “I just knew it.”
They had gathered everyone in the room they designated the war room. It was the middle of the night, and everyone was exhausted. Josephine, Cassandra, Barris and Dorian all looked somewhat confused as Arethin explained the situation, and Varric had to quietly explain the mythology of Fen'harel to them. Oddly, everyone else had a passing knowledge of the concept, even the other humans and Iron Bull.
“You knew Fen'harel would come back, and then give us a castle for our trouble?” Arethin asked.
“Well, not that specific, Lavellan,” Lanaya said. She glared at Solas. “And what do we do about you?”
“Felassan made me promise not to kill him,” Arethin said.
“And that would be unlikely to occur,” Solas said.
“Yes? Aren't you much weaker than you were?”
Solas gave a small, dangerous smile. “That does not mean you could kill me.”
“That is not reassuring.”
“My apologies.”
“Bet I could,” Sera piped up. She had not stopped glaring at Solas the whole time, awoken from her sleep and forced to confront not one, but two ancient elves as she was. “Could do it right now.”
“I would not suggest you try,” Solas informed her.
“Stop it, both of you,” Arethin said. “If we told the Coalition about him, someone would want to kill him,”
“Not Clan Eirethelu,” Lanaya pointed out.
“No, probably not. Good point.”
“Wait,” Cassandra said, staring from Solas, to Lanaya, to Arethin. “We are simply...accepting this? He claims to be a figure from your legends--”
“Actually, it was Felassan who informed me,” Arethin said first, pointing at said Felassan.
Cassandra shook her head. “Whoever claims it. Why would we take that as the truth?”
“Who would lie about that?” Lanaya demanded. “It would be too ridiculous, and too dangerous a lie just to throw about lightly.”
“And he's not really a legend,” Varric pointed out. “More...someone who has a lot of rumors said about him.”
“But this does not make sense,” Cassandra insisted. “People cannot live for as long as you say--”
“Our people lived for thousands of years,” Solas gestured to himself and Felassan. “It is possible that modern elves such as the Dalish have the potential to do that. It is not impossible at all.”
“But--” Cassandra exchanged a worried look with Leliana. “If you are real, then--”
“Then perhaps the Dalish have a better handle on what is going on than the Chantry?” Arethin said, raising her eyebrows.
Sera rolled her eyes.
“After all,” Arethin said, ignoring Sera. “Solas is an elf, and features heavily in Dalish mythology. We are the only ones who have studied Elvhen history at all, and not simply decided that elves were heathens and savages and ignored it.”
“Or tried to destroy it,” Lanaya added.
“I can see how this might be a disturbing development, then,” Arethin said.
Now more people were definitely looking unhappy. Sera glared at the table, Barris shifted from foot to foot, Varric ran a hand through his hair, and overall the mood grew quite a bit more awkward.
“In any case,” Arethin said. “The Dalish have also been expecting Fen'harel to appear in some way or another for some time now. That would be the white wolf that has been appearing or mentioned in people's dreams,”
Vivienne and Dorian glanced at each other, surprised.
“I'd wondered what that meant,” Dorian said.
“It's been happening for years,” Lanaya said.
“So could someone take advantage of your fears?” Vivienne asked.
“And do what, get locked in a prison or murdered?” Arethin asked. “It isn't like claiming to be Mythal or Elgar'nan—no one who knows anything about Fen'harel would be inclined to listen to him.”
“He wouldn't even have said anything if I hadn't come around,” Felassan said, and Solas glared at him.
Lanaya sighed. “Well...maybe I should meet with the other Keepers, and see what they have to say on the matter.”
“What about the ambassadors from the Alienage?” Arethin said. “Ambassador Briala was Felassan's friend. I bet she'd be interested in hearing about this.”
“She would, at that,” Lanaya hummed to herself.
“You have another problem, besides Corypheus,” Solas said.
“What's that?”
“Even if you defeat him, the Veil will crumble on its own,” Solas said. “It was not made to stand forever.”
“That is ridiculous,” Cassandra said. She glanced around at the mages. “Is it not?” she was pale, looking worried.
Arethin and Lanaya looked at each other. Dorian and Vivienne exchanged a similar concerned look.
“That's no lie,” Lanaya said. “Zathrian said—” she shook her head, and looked at Solas. “That, at least, is true,” she admitted. “We'd hoped that the problem wasn't so widespread, but...”
“What do you mean?” Iron Bull asked.
“I hadn't realized—but that makes sense,” Dorian muttered.
“What does?”
“Veil damage grows over time,” Dorian said. “Weakened sections of the Veil become weaker.”
“And if it is true that the Veil is artificial,” Vivienne rolled her eyes, but her brow was pinched in worry. “Then it is like a dam that has had no one to tend to it for a very long time. We surely must repair it.”
“No,” both Felassan and Solas spoke at once, and they all stared at them.
“Why not?” Sera demanded. “On the other side's where all the demons and shite are, yeah?”
Solas shook his head. “Repairing it would only be temporary, and might even make the problems worse,” he said. “If a mistake was made, it could cut you off from all magic, even the slight magic you have now. It could make everyone Tranquil. The only reason I could even make it in the first place was because of how much magic there was in the physical world, almost none of which is here now. You cannot permanently repair it, nor does anyone have the expertise to do so.”
“And of course you wouldn't repair it,” Arethin said. “And you would not tell us how to fix it.”
“No, I would not.”
“Then we're right back where we started,” Dorian said. “Tell us, what exactly do you suggest we do?”
Solas shook his head. “Whether I affect the Veil or not, it will deteriorate by itself,” he said. “And whatever I may do does not compare to that damage.”
“Why not?” Arethin asked.
“It will take hundreds of years,” Solas explained. “It it like a limb bound too long with a tourniquet. Your world, or the Fade, will become sick, and it is likely nothing will survive that.”
“Nothing at all?”
He shook his head. "Your world is already suffering--if the Veil continues in its current state, thus everything will continue to deteriorate."
“Oh.”
“This could all just be a lie,” Vivienne insisted. “The Veil damage can be repaired in local areas—the aim could simply be to spread chaos, as a trickster is wont to do.”
“I need not spread chaos—the way you approach magic will do that on its own,” Solas said with a scowl. “Have you not considered that your magic is already illogical and confused?”
“What are you talking about?” Arethin asked.
“Can't you tell?” Felassan said, and now it was his and Solas' turn to look confused. “Every spell you make—all of you—causes tiny tears in the Veil any time you cast. You're walking Veil damage, no matter what you do. Why did you think the Veil was so thin wherever there was a Circle?”
Solas nodded. “Magic rejects the Veil,” he said. “And the Veil, in turn, caused damage to magic.”
They all looked at him for a long moment.
“Why did you think that Seeker and Templar abilities work the way they do?” he asked, when they were silent. “They reinforce reality. But magic is already real.”
Arethin shook her head. “One problem at a time,” she said. “You two, we must deal with first.”
“How?” Cassandra asked. “If what you say is true—there is little we can really do.”
“Oh, I'm sure we'd think of something,” Dorian said.
Arethin merely looked at Solas and Felassan. “Will the two of you stay here?” she asked.
Solas inclined his head. Felassan opened his mouth, and Solas elbowed him in the ribs.
“...yes,” Felassan said, wincing.
“Very good. Now stay here, until we work out if you are telling the truth.”
“I really don't--” Felassan started, but Solas glared at him. “...fine.”
Arethin rubbed her forehead. “Now, we just need to think of what to tell the others,” she sighed. The Dalish presented a unique problem, and neither Arethin or Lanaya wanted to keep the fact they had two ancient elves living in the Keep a secret. This was especially important since Solas seemed to be the culmination of all the peculiar omen dreams everyone had been having as of late.
So it was that Arethin and Lanaya gathered the Dalish who had come with them together. This was a conversation best had away from non-Dalish.
“We have...” Lanaya hesitated. “A problem.”
Everyone waited expectantly.
Arethin decided to cut to the chase.
“Do you all recall the dreams about wolves?” she asked the crowd. “The omens?”
General murmurs of assent.
“Now we know why we had those.” she swallowed for a moment before saying. “Fen'harel is real, more real than any of us would have liked to think, and he is here. This is his house.”
The crowd was in uproar. It was only after several minutes that Lanaya got the crowd under control.
“No, we are not killing him,” Arethin said. Several in the crowd grumbled. “We are not, because it would likely be very difficult. Secondly, for whatever reason, he saved my life, and helped us close the Breach.”
“He must be doing it as a trick!” called a woman in red vallaslin.
“What if it's not?” called another hunter, this one with no vallaslin at all. “We've all seen the ruins--”
An argument burst out, and quickly everyone in the crowd was talking at once. Arethin sighed and shook her head.
“We'll never get anywhere like this,” she muttered.
“Perhaps we can call a vote,” Lanaya said.
They did so. A little less than half of them voted to immediately try and kill him, but the majority either were curious to see why he was here, or thought that killing him wouldn't end well.
“So, we are all agreed,” Arethin said. “We're to watch and guard, but not kill.”
Several of the Dalish looked unhappy that they had been outvoted, but everyone agreed.
“Fortunately for you,” Arethin told Solas later. “We decided that you are not to be killed.”
“Fortunate indeed,” Solas said quietly, raising his eyebrows. “Then what is it that you have you decided?”
“Well, we won't let you out of our sight, that goes without saying,” she informed him. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “We can't exactly stop you, though.”
“I said I would stay, and I will,” he said.
“Now,” she looked at him. “What to do about you?”
“I believe you came up with a solution.”
“A temporary one,” she reminded him. “I'm not sure what to do in the long term. It's entirely possible you could just wait for all of us to die and then do what you want anyway.”
“And if I did something after you died, this would be a concern for you?”
“I suppose technically, it would not,” Arethin said after a pause. “Similarly if I never existed in the first place.” she hummed. “You said the Veil poisoned our world.”
“It has,” he explained. “Whether I have a say or not, if the Veil remains standing, your world will eventually die.”
“I see.” she rubbed her chin, thinking.
“And then, what shall you do?”
“I shall remove the Veil,” Arethin said. “There must be a way to get rid of it without undoing this world.”
“Perhaps,” he agreed, reluctance in his face.
She looked at him for a long moment, considering. “Think on this,” she said. “I shall try to remove the Veil myself and repair the world. If I do this, then the People will be undamaged again, and your mistake will be fixed.”
“That is...possible,” he agreed.
“If I cannot do this, then you might try your way.” she said. She looked at him, her expression softening in spite of herself. “I cannot allow you to destroy our world, even for your family,” she said. “I understand. I would try the same thing if I could. I think that if we were in each other's places, you would not want me to either. But if I cannot save the world from poison, nothing is lost by you trying.”
He was quiet for a long time.
“Very well,” he said. “We will see what comes of this.”
After the business with Felassan and Solas was dealt with, there was no time to even take a breath, as they had to think on how to construct their Alliance. Cassandra, Leliana, and Barris were all firmly convinced the Inquisition should be at the head, but without agreement from Arethin, they could not do much about that. Dorian and Vivienne were visibly leery of forming any long-lasting alliances with anyone outside of the Inquisition and the Chantry, and to make matters more complex, Fiona and Lanaya were both as adamant as Arethin that the Chantry and the Inquisition not have a strong say in matters. They decided that in order to come to a better agreement, the most organizations possible had to be represented.
“We must have ambassadors from the Coalition and Orzammar, at the very least,” Lanaya said. "We have assisted in closing the Breach, thus we deserve a say in further matters."
“Can you not be the Dalish representative?” Fiona asked.
Lanaya shook her head. “I need to go back to my Clan,” she said. “Someone with more diplomatic experience would be better.”
Arethin nodded. “Ferelden as well should be represented, also, because of their closeness to the Coalition,” she said. “And the mages, or course.”
“Someone must represent the Chantry,” Cassandra said.
“You are certain you will not be Inquisitor?” Leliana asked Arethin again.
“No,” Arethin said, glaring at her.
“But--”
“No.”
“I think it makes more sense if the one with the mark is more impartial,” Josephine said. “If you are to gain access to all areas affected by rifts, you cannot be seen to have too strong a tie to any one government or group.”
Arethin and Lanaya glanced at each other.
“That makes sense,” Fiona said, grudgingly.
Barris nodded. “Being Inquisitor would allow you entry to many places, more than simply being a Dalish envoy,” he pointed out.
Arethin let out a hard breath through her nose. “True,” she said. “But that cuts out other apostate mages, Dalish, dwarves, and even the Avvar or the Chasind if I need to get to their lands.”
“Hm,” Barris stroked his chin. “A good point.” he and Josephine exchanged a look.
“Someone must be Inquisitor, either way,” Cassandra said. “If there is no united front for the true Chantry, the Grand Cleric gains more power.”
That gave Arethin pause. The Grand Cleric had come into power without the Coalition noticing—even Keeper Merrill, who had lived in Kirkwall and seen Elthina's rise to power, had not realized until it was too late. The woman clearly should not be underestimated. That was the best argument for becoming the Inquisitor that Arethin had heard thus far.
Then she glanced at Cassandra.
“Why can you not be the Inquisitor?” she asked.
Cassandra blinked at her.
“Leliana is your spymaster, Barris controls Inquisition troops,” Arethin continued. “You're faithful to the Chantry. You were the one who established the Inquisition in the first place, and you were loyal to Justinia.”
“I...suppose,” Cassandra said, her brow furrowed. “But I am not the one with the Mark--”
“You are also not the Dalish mage who has been speaking this entire time of how foolish she thinks the entire Maker business is,” Vivienne cut in. “I think the rest of the Chantry will respond more favorably to someone who follows basic Andrastian tenets.”
“Exactly, Madame de Fer,” Arethin agreed.
“That is not so bad a notion,” Leliana said, her face lighting up.
“I do not think the other clerics would be very receptive,” Cassandra said stiffly, her shoulders tense.
“I think it's a good idea,” Barris piped up. “The only other possible candidate we have doesn't want to.”
Cassandra sighed. “I still do not think I am the best option,” she said. “I do not know if I am capable.”
“As if having a magical mark on my hand automatically makes me capable?” Arethin scoffed. “So you're doubtful. That's good. That means you'll think a bit before acting, which I think the Chantry could use more of.” she looked Cassandra in the face. “This is your area of expertise, not mine.”
Cassandra looked like she wasn't sure whether to be offended or obscurely flattered.
“If that is settled, Dorian and I will represent the loyal mages, of course,” Vivienne said. “We will stay allied to the Inquisition.”
“And I the free mages,” Fiona gave Vivienne a nasty look. “We will ally to Lady Lavellan and whatever she constructs.”
“We will contact Ferelden,” Josephine said. “I am certain that King Alistair will send an ambassador as quick as possible.” she paused. “What about Solas?”
“What about him?” Arethin asked.
“If he is to be believed, this place was once his.”
“And he remains here.”
Josephine raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment further.
There were to be several core councilmembers, those who held a state office or had some similar rank. In addition to the councilmembers, there were others who they called upon for assistance in other roles. Sera and Iron Bull, for example, could provide both support and intelligence in some capacity.
Arethin still didn't entirely trust Bull, and nor did anyone else, but he was the closest thing to information on the Qunari that they had.
Sera, for her part, wasn't very pleased about her involvement.
She stuck out her tongue at Arethin upon hearing the news. “I don't want to be sittin' on councils and all that,” she declared.
“Then it's a very good thing you're an advisor,” Arethin said. “You know, make sure we remember little people and everything.”
Sera perked up at that. “Ey, fair point!” she said. “Keep your breeches where they should be, like.”
“Exactly.”
King Alistair was contacted, and he assured them that a Ferelden ambassador would be there within a few weeks.
Lanaya would organize for an eluvian to be brought to them, as the place was both too isolated and too important to go without.
An eluvian was delivered to Skyhold two weeks after Lanaya left, to be placed in the great hall, and through it came the Dalish, Alienage and Orzammar ambassadors.
Ambassador Yara came from Clan Tuivrodach, a Clan who had fought in the Blight. Vhelan Mordan was a warrior from Kal'hirol, who had been living there since it had been reclaimed after the Blight.
“So,” Yara said when she met Arethin. “I understand that, apparently, Fen'harel is not only as real as you or I, but he's...here. Living here.”
Arethin nodded. “That he is. We couldn't find any other solution.”
“Does that not worry you?”
“If we tried to kill him, we'd likely fail,” Arethin pointed out. “I strongly suspect he's only staying here because he wants to, but at least we have an eye on him.”
Ambassador Briala arrived after Yara and Vhelan.
“A very nice fortress you have,” Briala said with approval, looking around the great hall, which was still in repairs, but looking much better than it had been.
“Thank you,” Arethin said. “I quite like it as well.”
After making her introductions, Briala went seeking Felassan.
She did not have to seek far. He found her quite quickly.
“Briala--” he started, apprehensive at her expression. She shook her head and closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms tightly around him.
“Oh,” he murmured, stiff for a moment, then relaxing. He ran his hand over her hair, still cropped short. “Oh.”
For a moment they were both quiet. Briala pressed her face to his shoulder and held him like she was afraid he would vanish if she let him go.
At last, they separated.
“Do not ever vanish like that again, hahren,” Briala instructed him. “I thought you were dead. I thought—I don't know what I thought.”
“I am perfectly alright, da'len,” he assured her. “I merely had to get ahead of everyone. And getting ahead of both Fen'harel and the People is no small feat.”
“And what exactly is the business with Fen'harel?” she raised her eyebrows at him. “Is he truly a large wolf, like in your stories? I must confess, I saw nothing of the sort.”
“Well,” Felassan said. “He isn't at the moment. Here,” he looped his arm in hers. “Come, I will show you the fortress, and I can explain what I have been doing.”
Bann Teagan, the Ferelden ambassador, was the last to arrive.
He knew Leliana and Fiona already, which was a benefit.
At last, when everyone was settled, they held an open meeting in the great hall.
At the head of the throne room, instead of a throne, they placed a wide table, with room enough for everyone. Arethin sat in the middle.
As the council was settled, the crowd gathered in the hall with baited breath. Finally, Arethin spoke.
“We have constructed our Alliance,” she said. “And here we have brought together a council of many peoples of Thedas.”
“I am Dalish, but since my actions have served so many of Thedas and I have done things that many different groups have wanted done, I cannot truly represent only the Dalish,” Arethin said. “Ambassador Yara, of Clan Tuivrodach, to represent the Dalish Coalition.” she pointed to the ambassador, who inclined her head.
“Ambassador Briala, of Halam'shiral, to represent the Alienages of the Coalition.” Briala merely gazed down at the crowd, her expression carefully neutral. “On behalf of Orzammar, Vhelan Mordan.” Vhelan smiled.
“Inquisitor Cassandra Pentaghast, here on behalf of the Inquistion,” there was a smattering of applause, as people knew Cassandra and her efforts, and Cassandra gave a stiff nod.
“Bann Teagan, to represent the needs of Ferelden.” another round of scattered applause.
“Grand Enchanter Fiona, the leader of the free mages of Thedas.” now murmurs went through the hall, and several of the mages sent up cheers. Fiona flashed a tiny smile.
“First Enchanter Vivienne de Fer, the leader of the loyal mages of Thedas.” Vivienne gave a polite smile to a room filled with whispers.
“And I, Arethin Lavellan, am mediator and speaker,” Arethin said. “For now. Someone more suiting may be appointed to my place if the need arises.”
They moved out of the throne room to a more private council chamber, and in addition to the ambassadors, various advisers joined them. The only two absent were Solas and Felassan, whom no one still quite trusted enough to take any advice from.
“Now,” Arethin said to her council. “What do we need to do next?”
“We need to find Corypheus,” Cassandra said immediately. “That is the most pressing threat.”
“Solas knows some, but not overmuch,” Arethin explained. “Corypheus can use that elvhen artifact, the orb, but not very well, which is why he's being so destructive.”
“Why does he have that, anyway?” Iron Bull asked.
Arethin shrugged. “Another thing that's Solas' fault, actually, but as far as I can tell, that was more of a genuine accident than anything,” she said. “That orb was originally his, and apparently, the moment Solas awoke from Uthenera, Corypheus came to see what all the fuss was about.”
“What, did he just give the thing to Corypheytits?” Sera demanded, scowling.
“I think it was more a case of stealing,” Arethin clarified, deciding that the true matter was a bit more complex than they needed to get into. Solas claimed fault, but upon hearing the details, Arethin personally thought it was a bit more like taking something from a man delirious with fever.
And her true feelings, that she understood his actions intimately, no matter how destructive, would certainly not be welcome.
“So the elf caused all this?” Teagan demanded.
“Only in the sense that someone completely insensible was in possession of a magical artifact,” Arethin waved a hand. “Honestly, considering what he said, we're lucky he didn't blow up whatever Creator-forsaken forest he woke up in. This might be the best-case scenario.”
“How is the Breach the best case scenario?” Teagan asked.
“Do you want a man that powerful running around with an unsound mind?” Arethin asked. “He could have quite easily been as monstrous as our worst legends, or corrupted with Blight and been a second Corypheus, or any number of things. Either way, he's the one we're keeping an eye on, so now we have just to find Corypheus, deal with him, and then work out the business with the Fade.”
The others all looked at each other, mixed expressions on their faces, before Varric spoke up.
“Hawke—Champion Hawke—might know some about Corypheus,” Varric said.
“More than you?” Cassandra asked, raising her eyebrows.
Varric shrugged. “I was in a Kirkwall prison for a year and a half,” he said. “She's probably investigated more, her and Merrill—Keeper Merrill.”
“Keeper Merrill has looked into the darkspawn,” said Ambassador Yara. “She hasn't found very much.”
“We've searched for the Wardens all across Orlais,” Briala said. “There aren't any, not even out in their bastions at Adamant or the Western Approach.”
“None near the Approach?” Leliana raised her eyebrows. “That's strange.”
“Is it possible you could find Warden-Commander Surana?” Cassandra asked Leliana. “She might know.”
Leliana shook her head. “I am unsure of where she is," she said. "I believe I might be able to locate her, given some time, but it might take a while."
“Could King Alistair be of any help?” Arethin asked Fiona and Teagan.
“He likely will not know where she is either,” Fiona said. “When I last spoke to him, he mentioned the strange Calling, and was doing his best to ignore it. It is possible that we could follow the Calling to Corypheus, but I do not think that that would be a wise idea without more information.”
“Tracking the Venatori might be of more use, and be less dangerous,” Dorian pointed out.
Leliana nodded. “We've been keeping an eye on their movements,” she said. “But have found nothing conclusive. As for the Warden situation...There is one Warden left in Ferelden who are not King Alistair,” Leliana said. “That is Warden Oghren, who is the last remaining Warden at Vigil's Keep.”
“Why haven't they contacted us before now?” Arethin asked.
“He wished to stay away from any Chantry involvement,” Leliana explained. “Which is understandable, considering the circumstances. However, King Alistair notified him, and asked him if he could help investigate."
"What did he say?"
“He wishes to remain and guard Vigil's Keep. The Keep is right over a Deep Roads entrance, and the settlement of Kal-Hirol has declared that they feel much safer if Vigil's Keep is occupied by at least one Warden."
Arethin scowled. "He refused to help?"
"Oghren has been at the Keep for years." Leliana frowned. "He has been guarding the Deep Roads entrance in the area, and helping Kal-Hirol defend itself. He has declared he does not know much. I believe our best sources of information lie in Lady Hawke or in the Warden-Commander."
"Then we'll find them," Arethin said.
Later, when the meeting was over, Arethin walked the battlements of the keep. They provided a breathtaking view, showing a dizzying drop into the valley far below. Everything outside Skyhold was covered in snow, without the slightest bit of green anywhere.
“Lavellan?”
Arethin looked around. Cassandra had come to join her on the battlements. “Do you need something?” she asked.
Cassandra shook her head.
“What is it, then?”
“This is all so...strange.”
Arethin nodded. “It is indeed. Anything in particular?”
“Aside from all of it?”
Arethin cracked an unexpected smile. “Yes, aside from that.”
“Well...” Cassandra sighed. “Solas was unexpected, if I could expect anything.”
“He is, at that.”
Cassandra shook her head. “I had thought that Dalish legends were merely...legends,” she said. “Fancies.”
Arethin narrowed her eyes at her. “Did you indeed?”
“And if they had some truth to them—well, I could not expect one of your myths to walk into our midst without us even noticing.”
“Ah—well, you are not the only one who did not expect that.” Arethin admitted. “None of us expected Fen'harel to be—the way Solas is, either.”
“What did you expect?”
“A giant wolf. There aren't any likenesses of Fen'harel as an elf, not anywhere.” Arethin narrowed her eyes. “At least, we always thought there were not.”
“I see.” Cassandra said. “I had never thought that those legends held any weight,” she said. “But if they do...where does that leave the Maker? They cannot both be right, can they?”
“My people would mostly say no,” Arethin said. “And now, they would say even if everything Solas says is true, we are still more in the right than you are.” she shrugged and looked away.
“Perhaps,” Cassandra murmured. “But—if you are right, and we are wrong, then what has the Chantry been doing all this time?” she shook her head. “If what Solas says about the Veil is true—if magic is as natural as the air—what was any of it for? The Exalted Marches, the Circles--”
“I couldn't say,” Arethin informed her. “I have always thought it all quite pointless myself.”
Cassandra looked down at her hands.
“And you—you denied the role of Inquisitor,” Cassandra said. “We thought you brought to us by providence, but you refuse anything to do with the Chantry.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Then where does that leave us?” Cassandra asked, biting her lip. “If the Maker is true—if everything we have believed is true—then you are the Herald, and you refuse us, except for this alliance.”
“And what would that mean?”
“I suppose that it would mean we have gone very wrong, somewhere,” Cassandra said. She looked up at the sky. "If the Maker's Herald refuses to join with us...then we are the ones in the wrong."
“I suppose it would mean that. But I tell you, as I have before, Andraste never guided me anywhere or told me anything.”
“Which is the other option,” Cassandra said, still not looking at Arethin. “That we are not merely wrong in the eyes of the Maker. That there is no Maker.”
“Cassandra, I can't give you an answer,” Arethin said.
“I know.” Cassandra heaved a sigh. “Leliana would love an answer as well. She does not show it, but she has been...tried...by these events. Varric as well.”
“Varric?” Arethin blinked. She had hardly thought on Varric at all lately, and she had not realized that he was devout.
“He is faithful, though he would not show it.”
“Interesting,” Arethin leaned on the battlement.
“There is...one other thing,” Cassandra said.
“Yes?”
“Solas—is he truly the cause of the Breach? Did he give that artifact to Corypheus?”
“I said so, didn't I?”
“You also said it was an accident.”
Arethin pursed her lips. “Apparently he woke up, Corypheus sensed the magic somehow, and pretty much immediately came to him. He couldn't get the artifact to work, but Corypheus might have been able to, so he offered to help.”
“Because Corypheus appears very trustworthy, I see.” Cassandra's voice was dry as paper.
“That's the part that's confusing, and makes me think it really was an accident."
Cassandra didn't look convinced. “Why would he relinquish such an artifact?” she asked. “Surely it makes more sense to try and make it work without handing it over to someone less than trustworthy.”
“Exactly. That's why I think it was an accident. Who would do that? Solas hardly gives up anything about himself, even the most innocuous things, so I hardly think he'd give something that important to someone he didn't know...”
“Unless there were mitigating factors.”
Arethin nodded. “That's the real issue with him, I suppose,” she said. “He makes mistakes, the same as the rest of us—but they are much further reaching. It's no wonder...” she trailed off.
“No wonder what?”
She shook her head. “Never mind. We've an eye on him now, anyway.”
All the others were mostly too busy to have a conversation about anything other than work. However, this didn't mean conversations about the current circumstances didn't happen. The next time Sera and Arethin encountered each other outside of something business related was when they almost walked into each other outside the little tavern that had sprung up near the wall. “Oh,” Sera made a face. “It's you.”
“Indeed it is.” Arethin raised her eyebrows. “Is something the matter? I haven't seen you for a while.”
Sera shrugged.
“Sera?”
“Ugh. This is weird,” Sera kicked at the ground. “This is so weird.”
“What is?” Arethin asked. “Specifically.”
“Specifically?' Sera exclaimed. “Nothin' to get specific about! Everything is weird! Coryphenus—and weird demony arsehole just—living in the Keep--”
“Do you mean Solas?”
“Yeah!”
“He's not a demon.”
Sera shuddered. “What's the difference? He's old, and weird, and an arsehole.”
“Well, that is true.”
Sera peered at her, letting out a cautious laugh. “Well, s'pose you kinda have your head on straight, if you think that.”
“Of course I do,” Arethin said. “When do I not?”
Sera rolled her eyes. “Uh, most of the time?”
Arethin folded her arms. “Is this a problem?”
“Problem?” Sera raised her eyebrows. “Is there a problem? 'course there's a friggin' problem! Can't get away from being elfy ever!” she snarled. “That's the friggin' problem! All this happened 'cos of him--'cos you elfy elves were right, and some huge wolf bastard was runnin' around and mucking it up for everyone!”
“I suppose,” Arethin said. “A lot of the Dalish aren't very happy about it either, you know.”
“But—that's worse!” Sera exclaimed. “See—if he was just normal, I mean, magey and weird, but like—just a person, it'd be fine,” she rubbed her forehead. “I mean—he'd still be a right prick, see, but fine.”
“Well, fine in that, we wouldn't have an immensely powerful mage who could kill us all just sitting in an office in our keep, yes,” Arethin agreed. “That's true.”
Sera glared at her. “But—he knows all about that elfy stuff, how grand we were and all that,” she made a face of revulsion. “He knows about all of it. He was there! And his friggin' house burned down or whatever and now he's here—and he's not makin' it up, all that shite elfy elves talk about was real. Really real, more real than—than Andraste and all that. And the friggin' magister was bad enough!” she threw up her hands, exasperated. “It's all real! None of it's just—it's like there's nothing normal anymore!”
“Sera--”
Sera continued, worrying at her fingernails. “And magic—the world's supposed to be full of magic and everythin', and it's his fault anything was normal anyway, but it's not even—he says he made the world sick, like he poisoned it or something, but it's just—it's just normal, and I--”
“Sera,” Arethin put a hand on her shoulder. “Take a deep breath.”
Sera glanced up at her, gray eyes worried.
“Now first of all,” Arethin said. “We're not exactly going to take Solas' word on everything he claims. That's why I'm making him stay here.”
“You're not really making him do anything,” Sera pointed out.
“No, but he knows I would be quite unhappy if he left, and for some reason, he seems to value my opinion,” she shrugged. “So, we can't be sure if everything he says is the truth, or it is the way he thinks it is. Alright?”
Sera nodded, brow furrowed.
“Secondly—I really don't know how I can make you feel any better about things not being normal. As far as the Dalish are aware, there was a time when all elves had magic, so what we have now isn't normal.”
“Who says you're right?” Sera demanded.
“Lots of people say we're not,” Arethin acquiesced. “But at the same time, no one apart from Solas and Felassan has any better explanation than us that fits elvhen history before humans, and I think we already established that we're not going to take the two of them at their word.”
Sera snorted. “What does it matter what we used to be like?” she asked, folding her arms and looking away. “Doesn't much help us now, does it?”
Arethin considered Sera for a while. “If a city had water that was always fouled, and had been so for as long as anyone could remember, but had once been clean, would it not be important to restore it to what it was?” she asked. “Would it not be vital to know that the water had once been clean, and was not inherently poisoned? Would cleaning it not help the people who lived there?”
Sera wrinkled her nose. “Magic isn't water,” she said.
“No? How so?”
“Well—there's no demons in water, is there?”
“We might only have the demon problem because of the Veil,” Arethin said. “We can't know.”
Sera growled and turned away from her.
“Sera,” Arethin heaved a sigh.
“Why are you always so calm about friggin' everything?” Sera demanded, glaring at her over her shoulder. “Baldy turns out to be a giant wolf who's—I dunno, really bad for elfy elves, there's a huge magister runnin' around and trying to kill everything, and everything might be dying! The whole world—it just might be poisoned, or sick, and we never even knew till friggin' Solas comes swanning in here--”
“Sera,” Arethin snapped. “I know this isn't exactly normal. I am very well aware of that.”
“Then why--”
“My life isn't normal, Sera. It just isn't. And I can't focus on what normal is when I'm too busy making sure we don't all die. Alright?” she spread her hands. “That's it.”
Sera's eyes were drawn to the mark on Arethin's left hand. “S'pose things aren't really...alright for you,” she said reluctantly. “It's just--” she shook her head. “Never mind.” she waved a hand. “I'll—give you some arrows or whatever. Maybe that'll help make things not so...weird.”
“It might do, Sera,” Arethin agreed. “It's nice to have some people around here who realize this is all insane,” she gave Sera a wan smile. “Most of us have already been living with absolute insanity so long no one notices when it gets worse. For goodness' sake—the only thing close to a normal mage we even know is Fiona.”
Sera managed a laugh. “I guess Dorian and Vivvy aren't real...normal, even for you people and all,” she said.
“And that's on top of everything else.”