When Clan Lavellan decided to visit, they came around the long way, instead of by eluvian.
It was rather a surprise when an entire Dalish Clan turned up on Skyhold's doorstep, and they were immediately let in by the guard at the gate. Spotting them from the keep, Arethin raced outside, bounding down the steps to the familiar figures that now crowded the lower courtyard. Arethin kept an eye out for one familiar figure in particular, and when she spotted the white-haired elf she sought, she beamed.
“Keeper!” Arethin exclaimed.
“Arethin,” Deshanna smiled and wrapped Arethin up in a hug. “How are you?”
“I'm fine, I'm fine,” Arethin assured her. “What about you and the Clan? Are you all alright?”
Deshanna smiled. “Of course,” she said. “Of course.”
“You never told me you were coming!” the other Clanmembers began to gather around them.
“We were coming this way anyway,” said one woman, dressed in a hunter's leathers. “Figured we might as well go the long way instead of crowding the crossroads.”
“Dalinev!” Arethin greeted the senior hunter by lightly punching her in the arm. “Tell me you all kept yourselves healthy while I've been gone?”
Dalinev rubbed her arm. “Yes,” she rolled her eyes and grinned.
“Good. Keep it that way.”
“Arethin!” two of the Clan's younger children, Vunlean and Taralin, came hurrying up to her.
Arethin leaned down. “Hello, you two!” she said with a broad smile. She patted Vunlean's hair. “My word, your hair's gotten long!”
Vunlean giggled. “You still don't have any.”
“That's true. How have you been? What was the trip like?” she picked up tiny Taralin and set her on her shoulders. “Did you see anything exciting?”
“That thing in the sky,” Taralin said, leaning over so she could speak right into Arethin's ear. “That hole. We saw all kinds of weird holes on the way—Rajasha fought a demon!”
“Did she now?” Arethin looked for Rajasha in the crowd.
“She did!” Vunlean said. “She got her vallaslin 'cos of it.”
Arethin spotted Rajasha, the tall, muscular woman with long thick hair in a braid that fell halfway down her back. She had the dark red vallaslin of Elgar'nan on her face, still clearly fresh.
“Well, now she has to tell me the story!” Arethin said. She set Taralin down and went over to Rajasha, who was currently fighting with an uncooperative halla.
“Arethin,” Rajasha grinned over one shoulder. “Nice to see you.”
“I hear you fought a demon,” Arethin said, crossing her arms.
“Keeper said it was a Rage demon,” Rajasha told her. “It was twice my size and liked to set things on fire. We lost one of the aravels to it.”
Arethin frowned. “Oh—Creators, I should have called you all months ago,” she curled her hands into fists. “I thought you'd be safer away from here—honestly, fighting demons without me--”
Rajasha got the halla calmed down. “I still killed the thing,” she pointed out. “Anyway, if you were there, I'm sure you would have stared at it and it would have gone away. Then I'd never have my vallaslin.”
Arethin snorted. “You could have just gotten a wolf pelt!” she exclaimed. She gnawed her knuckle. “Demons—I don't like it. I should never have left you all alone...”
“You hardly left us alone,” came the voice of elderly Myathem, the Clan's hahren. “As it turns out, you can leave the Clan and nothing terrible will happen.”
Arethin turned and wrapped her arms around Myathem. “I know,” she said into his tunic. “But that still makes me want to kill every demon that even so much as looked at you funny.”
“And we do appreciate that, da'len,” Myathem patted her on the back.
“You are all alright though, aren't you?” Arethin asked.
“We're fine, we're fine,” Myathem assured her. “We were more worried about you, to be honest.”
She glanced up at him in surprise. “Me? Why me?”
“Oh, well, da'len, you were in such a bad way,” Myathem's gaze turned sympathetic. “After that terrible business with Elladen, and then the Breach—we didn't know what to think.”
Arethin swallowed. “It turned out alright.”
“Deshanna about ready to lead a damned charge on Haven, when word came that you'd gone and changed everything and gotten Keeper Lanaya to help...that was good. But then...well, honestly, everything seems rather confusing.”
“It does a bit, doesn't it?”
“Da'len, we really want to know more about this Fen'harel business,” he said.
“Oh, Hahren...”
“I mean it,” Myathem insisted. “Deshanna's about ready to storm your castle and pin his ears back. I told her she shouldn't, but--”
“No one has given me any reason not to,” Deshanna reappeared by Myathem's side.
“The pair of you, honestly--”
“Arethin,” Deshanna folded her arms.
“Deshanna.” Arethin crossed her arms as well.
“Both of you,” Myathem rolled his eyes.
“You could have come and met him anytime!” Arethin said. “You could have come anytime at all!”
“Da'len, we've been so far away from any of the eluvians...” Deshanna sighed.
“Why? Is something wrong?” Arethin asked, worried.
“We got stranded,” Myathem admitted. “After you left for the Conclave, we headed back up north around Wycome—and we just got stuck under a blizzard for about three months.”
“You never said!” Arethin exclaimed.
“We didn't want you to worry,” Deshanna said.
“But we could have sent someone to help!”
“Da'len, you were busy enough, and we were weeks away from the nearest eluvian,” Deshanna explained.
“Then why didn't you just go back to an eluvian and--?”
“Kept being cut off,” Myathem said with a frown. “We kept running into trouble any time we tried to get near one. Tal-Vashoth bandits, some runaway mages—eventually when we just stuck to back roads and went the long way, they stopped bothering us.”
“Tal-vashoth?” Arethin frowned, then a horrible thought struck her. “Qunari,” she hissed.
“What is it?”
“Shouldn't be a problem anymore,” she shook her head, and made a mental note to look into it later.
“Um...Arethin?” this voice came from a young woman with white-blonde hair pulled into thick locks and bound on top of her head. Her skin was even darker than Arethin's and her face was yet free of vallaslin. Deshanna and Myathem turned away, letting the two of them have a more private conversation.
“Ilonena,” Arethin smiled. “Hello, da'len. How are you?”
Ilonena had been Elladen's only agemate.
“I'm alright,” she said. “How...how are you?”
Arethin put an arm around Ilonena's shoulders. “I'm fine,” she said, and they walked a little ways away from the others so they could talk in private.
“Are you sure?”
Arethin chuckled. “I'm as fine as one can be, considering the circumstances.”
Ilonena looked at her with large eyes. “Deshanna was--” she cut herself off.
“Was what?”
She just shook her head. “Never mind. I—I missed you,” she said quietly.
“I missed you too. I missed all of you.”
“But both you and Elladen were gone,” Ilonena's voice was almost a whisper now. “We thought you might be dead, too, after the Conclave.”
“I'm sorry,” Arethin said. “I really am. I didn't mean for that to happen.” she thought about that. “I'm fairly sure no one did, really.”
Ilonena wiped at her eyes. “And then we heard—the Chantry got you,” she said, her voice choked. “And I thought maybe—the Templars--”
“Oh, no, no,” Arethin soothed her. “No, da'len. No Templars. They didn't come anywhere near me, I promise.”
“I didn't even think about the demons,” Ilonena admitted. “Just the Templars. I thought maybe they'd brought you to one of those horrible Circles—Deshanna thought you were trapped--”
“I know, Myathem told me,” Arethin said. “I'm sorry you were so worried, I really am.”
“Deshanna didn't even know who she'd have as First if you died,” Ilonena whispered.
Arethin blinked. “Surely Halevune or someone from another Clan...?”
“I don't know,” Ilonena shook her head. “No one wanted to think about it. Halevune still gets upset if we talk about it.”
“Well, I'm alright,” Arethin assured her.
“Are you quite certain of that?”
Arethin frowned at Deshanna, who'd come up behind them. “Keeper...”
“She still wants to know about Fen'harel,” Myathem said, and the rest of the Clan began to gather.
“Oh, yes!” one of the younger members, a mage, exclaimed. “I haven't seen any giant wolves, though--”
“Did you really meet him?” Ilonena asked. “Or was it just stories?”
“It's different than the stories,” Arethin explained patiently. “He's just a person. In Elvhenan things were...complicated. It's a long story.”
“So does that mean he's not going to eat you?” Taralin asked.
“No, he wouldn't,” Arethin assured her with a sigh, giving Deshanna a raised eyebrow. “He doesn't eat people.”
“Did you lock him up here?” Vunlean demanded. “We met other Dalish who said you did!”
“It isn't like that,” Arethin said, running a hand over her head. “We just...agreed...that he should stay here.” Solas was likely not going to be overly pleased with the rumors going about the Dalish concerning him, if this were any example.
“And he isn't doing anything to trick you?” Deshanna asked, her arms folded. “You're certain?”
“Oh—if it will please all of you, you can meet him,” she said, hands on hips. “Alright?”
Murmurs went through the crowd, but they all agreed.
“Yes, let's,” Myatham, the only one who seemed to be remotely pleased, said. “If only to stop your fretting, Deshanna.”
“I am not fretting, I simply--”
“Do you not trust my judgement?” Arethin demanded.
“No, that is not it, I simply...” Deshanna sighed. “Fine. Let us meet your...friend.”
“Alright,” Arethin said. “I will go find him.” she went into the keep, letting the Clan settle themselves in the yard. She knew that most of them would find the keep fascinating, but would not wish to stay inside it.
Solas was in the little space he had commandeered under the library, as usual. The walls had been whitewashed and now bore many murals, with a new panel that had been painted after Arethin's return from Halam'shiral.
“Solas?” Arethin said.
Solas looked up from his book. “I had heard your Clan arrived,” he said. “Do you not wish to be with them?”
“I want them to meet you,” she said. “So my Keeper will stop fussing.”
Solas hesitated. “I am uncertain if that would be...productive,” he began. “I am sure they will want to meet Cassandra more--”
“No, Keeper needs to see you else she'll be convinced you've tricked me into something horrible,” Arethin said. “She'll be unsettled enough by Cassandra, if she meets you first she'll have less of a problem with her.”
Solas got to his feet. “Why would she take issue with Cassandra?” he asked as she lead the way out the keep.
“Keeper's a...traditionalist,” Arethin said with a shrug. “And Cassandra being a Chantry human is...problematic.”
“I see.”
The Clan had settled near the stables, in one of the spaces designated for any visiting Clans.
“Keeper,” Arethin called, and Deshanna looked up. Arethin waved her over. Upon noticing that Arethin had brought company, the rest of the Clan began to take interest as well.
“Keeper, this is Solas, also known as Fen'harel, but that's not his name,” Arethin said. “Solas, this is Keeper Deshanna.”
Solas inclined his head. “I am pleased to meet you.”
Deshanna jerkily nodded, looking Solas over with a critical eye.
“Are you really Fen'harel?” piped up Taralin, who'd snuck up on Arethin's side. Solas looked down at the girl, eyebrows raised.
“That is what people called me, yes,” Solas said.
“Can you turn into a wolf?” Rajasha asked.
“What did you do to the Creators?” Vunlean asked. “Arethin says--” her question was cut off by a flurry of questions from the Clan, who all began to crowd close.
“Enough, all of you!” Arethin said eventually. “Did you all forget your manners while I was gone?”
The younger Clanmembers mumbled apologies, and the crowd backed up a little. Solas ducked his head and hid a smile.
Myathem came forward, shooing the others out of the way.
“We heard that you helped our people a great deal,” Myathem said. “That's what Arethin has told us, anyway.”
“I helped to close the Breach, yes, and I have helped with the mark as well.”
“You see?” Arethin told Deshanna. “What did I tell you?”
Deshanna continued to glare.
“It's a clever trickster who ingratiates himself to those he wishes to trick,” she informed Arethin.
“Deshanna!”
“You are correct, of course,” Solas looked as if he were caught between being offended and amused. “I cannot blame you for being cautious.”
“So long as we understand each other,” Deshanna said.
“As you wish.”
Deshanna gave another stiff nod, then turned and left. Myathem rolled his eyes.
“She's a traditionalist,” he explained. “Mind you, she has a point,” he said, looking significantly at both Arethin and Solas. “A clever trickster is the one who makes you think there's no trick at all.”
“I know,” Arethin said. “We've discussed this at length,” she and Solas shared a look.
Myathem shrugged.
“Very well,” he said. “Well—if Arethin says you're to be trusted, I suppose you're to be trusted,” he said, looking Solas up and down.
“Thank you,” Solas said.
“You're welcome.”
“Well, now that that's sorted,” Arethin said. “I hope you all realize Fen'harel is not about to do me any harm?”
“Well, I don't know about that,” Myathem said. “If he's the sort you've taken up with--”
“Myathem!” Arethin exclaimed, both she and Solas flushing.
“Well, how am I supposed to know what kind of menfolk you like?” Myathem demanded. “You're so quick to defend him to Deshanna, I was wondering--”
“Arethin and I are friends,” Solas said quickly, his face extremely red. “In any case, I am...otherwise engaged.”
“Oh,” Myathem nodded. “Well, good.”
“I can't believe you, Myathem,” Arethin said, face still hot. “I mean—I have—we aren't--”
Myathem raised his eyebrows. “Aha, so there's someone you have taken up with then? I mean, if you're that flustered about it...”
“Myathem! My romantic life is not your business, for the love of--” she spotted Solas hiding another smile and she glared at him. “You're both ridiculous.”
“Deshanna'll want to meet him,” Myathem said. “And so will everyone else, you know.”
“Then I'll go take Deshanna to meet her, and you can interrogate Solas about his romantic life, if you're wanting that much for gossip,” Arethin informed him, her arms folded.
“Excuse me?” Solas protested, and Myathem's expression gained a devious cast.
“The best way to make friends with the Clan is to give them gossip,” Arethin informed Solas. “Now, I need to find Deshanna.” she turned before either of them could stop her, and went in search of the Keeper.
Deshanna was over by the halla, busy soothing one. She still seemed distinctly unhappy.
“He's very short, for being Fen'harel,” she informed Arethin when she approached.
“Deshanna, you and he are the same height. Which is taller than most people.”
Deshanna just sighed and shook her head.
“Why don't I introduce you to some of the others?' Arethin suggested, steering Deshanna towards the keep.
“Very well,” Deshanna said. “But if any more of them are--”
“I do not have any duplicates of Solas hanging about, Keeper,” Arethin said, her voice very dry. “Come, you can meet my friend Cassandra.”
The Keeper took her elbow. “Now, da'len, who is this friend?” she asked. “Someone less troublesome than the...” she sighed. “Than Solas?”
“I don't know about that,” Arethin said, some anxiety rising in the pit of her stomach. “She's—ah, well, it's complicated--”
Deshanna raised her eyebrow. “Is this young lady something other than a simple friend?” she asked.
“You are just as bad as Myathem,” Arethin accused, heat rising in her cheeks.
“Ah, so she is, I see.”
“Now—she's the Inquisitor, so I suppose that makes her a Chantry person,” Arethin said. “She was Justinia's right hand.”
“My word, Arethin,” Deshanna sighed. “You don't make things easy, do you?”
“I wasn't aware that was in my job description.”
“Does she know about Elladen?”
Arethin nodded. “She knows.”
Deshanna huffed and folded her arms. “Alright then. If I'm going to trust you on Fen'harel--”
“Solas.”
“Then I'll trust you on the Inquisitor.”
“Cassandra.”
Cassandra was commonly found on the training grounds, near the forge. She was reading a book—one of her beloved romance novels, Arethin guessed—when she spotted Arethin coming over. She hid her book and went over.
“Arethin,” she smiled.
“Cassandra!” Arethin smiled back and moved to Cassandra's side, and put her arm around her waist, and Deshanna's eyebrows threatened to vanish into her hairline. “Cassandra, this is my Clan's Keeper, Keeper Deshanna,” she nodded in Deshanna's direction. “Deshanna, Cassandra Pentaghast.”
Cassandra inclined her head. “I am honored to meet you, Keeper.”
Deshanna smiled. “I am pleased to meet you as well,” she said.
“Do you plan to stay long?”
“As long as Arethin will have us,” Deshanna said. “You must meet the rest of the Clan, da'len, they'd be delighted to meet you.”
Cassandra smiled. “I would say I am sorry you cannot meet my own family, but they are...difficult to be around,” she shook her head. “I hope it does not trouble you,” she told Arethin.
“Oh, no, of course not,” Arethin said. “The Clan's just going to show up where I do, eventually.”
“Where is the rest of the Clan?”
“Interrogating Solas about his love life,” Arethin said without blinking. “And settling in, too, I suppose.”
Cassandra laughed. “I see,” she said. “I shall have to meet them, then.”
“You can come and meet them now,” Arethin said. “Everyone should.”
“I do have a report for Josephine I have to finish,” Cassandra sighed. “I was only pausing in writing it.”
“Reading one of your books?” Arethin teased, and Cassandra flushed.
“If you must know, yes,” she said primly.
“Oh, Arethin, do you have many books here?” Deshanna asked. “We can't have many, traveling all the while the way we do,” Deshanna explained to Cassandra. “But I love books.”
“We have a whole library,” Cassandra said. “I have—my own, but there are a great many more in the library.”
“You have your own books?” Deshanna asked, her face lighting up. Cassandra blushed.
“Well—yes,” she said. “They are—not very serious, or--”
“They're romances,” Arethin supplied.
“Arethin!” Cassandra exclaimed, embarrassed.
“I've hardly had the opportunity to read many novels,” Deshanna said. “Do you have any recommendations?”
“Oh—well,” Cassandra was taken aback. “I—I could bring some, if you wished,” she said, still blushing, but Deshanna's enthusiasm seemed to give her confidence.
“That would be lovely!” Deshanna exclaimed. “You must come by later, when we are more settled. Arethin, da'len, we should help the Clan finish setting up.”
“Of course,” Arethin said. “Cassandra, excuse us—the Clan will be intolerable if they meet too many new people at once, we'd never get anything done.”
“I will see you later,” Cassandra said with a laugh, smiling at Arethin before turning to leave. After she did, Deshanna raised her eyebrows at Arethin.
“What?” Arethin said, putting her hands on her hips.
“She is very sweet,” Deshanna laughed and shook her head. “I am surprised, is all,” she said. “She must be very special, to have captured your interest so.”
Arethin sighed and stared after Cassandra. “She is.”
“On the other hand, considering your other recent company...”
“Deshanna.”
“Honestly, between Fen'harel and the right hand, I'm really beginning to wonder what's going on in your head.” she reached over and rapped Arethin's head with her knuckles.
Arethin laughed and swatted Deshanna away. “Deshanna, it could be worse,” a wicked grin spread over Arethin's face. “It could be Solas I was interested in.”
Deshanna went pale. “Do not even joke,” she said.
Arethin smirked. “Then it is fortunate that he and I are interested in different people.”
“You will give me a heart attack one of these days, dear one,” Deshanna informed her. “And then where will we be?”
“Presumably, I will be restarting your heart.” she couldn't resist. “Myathem even asked me if Solas and I were--”
“Oh, for the love of Mythal,” Deshanna groaned. “I swear, Myathem is worse than my own mother, and she was a gossipy old hen.”
“Well, he can go pry gossip out of Solas, not me,” Arethin said. “I think they'll keep each other occupied.”
Deshanna snorted. “Feed each other's bad habits, more like,” she shook her head.
In the end, Arethin ended up inviting the entire Clan to dine within the keep, so they could easier meet everyone else. Cassandra positively enchanted them by bringing several books, much to her surprise. Varric likewise delighted people by bringing them his own books, and was rather pleased that his works were so popular among the Dalish.
Dorian was appalled at how many Clanmembers loved tawdry romances, but couldn't get anyone but the mages interested in his preferred literature (magical theory). Vivienne also recommended books, once she realized how many in the Clan loved them. There was some initial worry about Iron Bull, but when it was explained that he was Tal-vashoth, that, combined with his friendly demeanor, made things much more pleasant.
Solas was an endless source of fascination, and he seemed to have steered conversation away from his personal life by telling stories to the younger Clanmembers. Arethin had been right, however, in predicting that letting the Clan interrogate Solas made him seem more like a person to them and less a figure out of legend. As the evening wore on, he found himself surrounded by several of the younger Clan members (and their parents), telling them all about spirits and Elvhenan.
Cole was likewise fascinating, when he deigned to be seen. The large crowd seemed to be somewhat distressing to him, however, and when he appeared, he tended to stick by Solas' side for a few moments before vanishing again.
The one individual Arethin was a bit worried about was Sera. Sera was still fairly wary around the Dalish, and she seemed nervous at the prospect of meeting Arethin's Clan. Arethin decided introducing her to Myathem first would be a good idea.
“Sera, this is Myathem,” Arethin said. “Myathem, this is my friend Sera.”
Myathem smiled at Sera, who narrowed her eyes at him in a suspicious manner.
“Pleased to meet you, young lady,” Myathem said, inclining his head.
“Yeah,” Sera drawled, shifting from foot to foot.
“Sera is the with the Red Jennies,” Arethin explained.
“The Jennies?” Myathem's face lit up. “They never talk to us, but any time we hear about your handiwork it's—well, it's very funny.”
Sera stared at him. “You think so?”
“Yes, of course! Not everyone thinks so,” he rolled his eyes. “But I say too many people can't appreciate a good joke when they see it.”
Sera's face lit up. “Really?”
Myathem quickly engaged Sera in talk about pranks, which Arethin was quite sure that Deshanna wouldn't appreciate, but it went a long way towards making Sera more comfortable.
The Clan stayed for only a week afterwards, and Arethin did not see much of them, being as busy as she was. They left via eluvian, headed towards somewhere safer than Wycome, and that set Arethin's mind at ease.
It was after the Lavellan Clan left that another unexpected individual made his way to Skyhold. This individual was someone dear to Cassandra, a friend in the Seekers. The man did not draw attention like a Clan did, instead coming in with a group of refugees.
Cassandra stared at him when she saw him.
“Daniel? What are you doing here?”
“Cassandra,” Daniel beamed. “Oh, Maker, I'm so glad I caught you,”
“Where have you been?” she asked. “Are you alright? What has been happening?”
“I got...caught up in things when the war started,” he explained.
“The other Seekers--”
“Scattered, dead,” he shook his head. “I don't know what happened to all of them. Lucius—the things he did...”
He cut himself off when he spotted Arethin coming towards them.
“Friend of yours, Cassandra?” Arethin said, looking at him curiously.
“Arethin, this is Daniel,” Cassandra said. “He was my apprentice in the Seekers, but we lost track of each other when the war began.”
“Pleased to meet you, my lady,” Daniel said.
“Your apprentice?” Arethin said, raising her eyebrows. “Why didn't we look for him sooner?”
“We could not spare the time,” Cassandra sighed and turned to Daniel. “I am sorry, Daniel,” she said. “When the war started--”
“I know, Cassandra,” he said. “You've nothing to apologize for. I'd've come to you sooner, but...things got in the way.”
“Such as?”
“I was hunting down the Lord Seeker,” Daniel growled. “The one that Grand Cleric appointed.”
Arethin and Cassandra looked at each other, surprised.
Cassandra held out her hands. “Daniel—you could have contacted us, we would have helped--”
Daniel shook his head. “No, you had enough on your plate as is,”
“But--”
“I found the Lord Seeker.”
Cassandra paused, and narrowed her eyes. “Lucius?”
Daniel nodded. “Cassandra—he killed the others. He wanted to try and lure us to--” he cut himself off.
“Daniel?” Cassandra leaned forward. “Lure you to what?”
“He wanted to destroy the Seekers,” Daniel managed. “He—I don't know all of what went on, but after he took over he—started calling the Seekers—the ones loyal to him—and he killed them.”
“Why?” Cassandra exclaimed. “What for?”
“What's the point of that?” Arethin asked.
“He told me—when I met him, he told me--” Daniel sighed and closed his eyes. “He'd gone absolutely mad, Cassandra. He knew things about the Seekers, things no one but the Lord Seeker is supposed to know, and it...must have driven him mad.” he took a deep breath. “He killed all the others. He lured them there, and he killed them. When I got there he rambled some—nonsense about how—the Seeker order wasn't meant to survive, how--” he trailed off.
“What happened to the Lord Seeker?” Arethin asked.
“Dead,” Daniel's mouth twisted into a grimace. “I killed him.”
“Oh,” Cassandra scowled. “I could expect little else.”
“I suppose you would,” Daniel gave a ghostly laugh. “He wasn't exactly very loyal to Justinia.”
“Of course not.” Cassandra sighed and looked down.
“Cassandra...he had...this...” Daniel pulled a book from his bag, a heavy tome with the Seeker's symbol on the front of it. Cassandra gingerly took it.
“This book has more things than I could ever have guessed—Cassandra—we always knew how to reverse Tranquility,” Daniel said. “We made the Rite. And we knew how to change it back.”
Cassandra went silent.
“They knew?” Arethin breathed. “The whole time--?”
“They knew,” Cassandra was white with anger. “The Lord Seeker wanted to start the war over it, and he already knew--!”
Arethin reached out and took Cassandra's hand, and Cassandra wrapped her fingers tightly around Arethin's.
Daniel looked from Cassandra to Arethin.
“Daniel...” Cassandra leaned against the wall. “I know they lied. The Chantry has lied about many things.”
“Cassandra—but—what do we do about this?” Daniel asked.
“I don't know, Daniel,” she admitted. “Many here would say that we should let the Seekers go. Others would say it is important that they remain.”
“What do you think?”
“Daniel...” she shook her head. “The Chantry has lied, and broken our own laws, and promises, too many times to count. We took power and abused it. I do not know that if we restored the Seekers, the same would not happen again.”
Daniel decided ultimately to stay with the Inquisition, which pleased Cassandra considerably.