Dragon Age: Light of the Maker

05. A LONESOME CHOIR

CHAPTER V: A LONESOME CHOIR
❂ DIVINE VICTORIA ❂
"From sky-tearing peaks of the sacred mountain
To secret-steep'd roots of the ancient oak trees
A lonesome choir, I, song failing unanswered,
Voice on wind returning, answered no more."
- Andraste 1:4

Divine Justinia left behind big shoes to fill. She had been wise and patient, where Cassandra knew herself to be tactless and temperamental. Yet she had been chosen as Divine anyway, a decision reached in large part because of Inquisitor Paloma. Your neutrality and sympathy towards both sides will bring peace to mages and templars, Paloma had said. After the look in the templars' eyes at the Winter Palace, Cassandra was not so sure of that.

Things were never meant to be easy for her. The Maker had set her on this dark and complicated path long ago, and through faith, she believed that she was meant for this - but that did not make it any less hard. With a deep sigh, she turned away from the stained glass window to face the Inquisitor.

"The Knight-Commander is a zealous man," she told her. "He will give smiles and passivity only to hold a dagger to your back. He is too Orlesian for comfort."

Paloma tucked a thick, wild curl behind her large, pointed ear and offered a reassuring smile. "No doubt," she agreed. "But it is nothing we cannot handle, Cass. The templars are a dying order as it is. If we must put them down and start anew, so be it."

Cassandra hoped it would not come to that. The templars were needed. Soldiers trained specifically to defend against magic, specialists on all things arcane and occult. Magic could not exist in this world without moderation. Cassandra frowned at the Inquisitor. "It need not come to that. Perhaps I went too far."

Paloma knitted her thick brows together. "Don't doubt yourself, Cassandra. The Rite of Tranquility is a form of abuse and must be eradicated. Don't let this man bully you into submission."

The Divine's expression twisted and she scoffed. "As if. I would sooner revoke him of his status." She sighed, tired, and turned back to face the window. "I have faith that the Maker will guide me through this. I hope that He can loan me some patience while He's at it, too."

The Inquisitor's chuckle was cut short by a knock on the door. Cassandra turned to see Commander Cullen entering with a roll of parchment in hand. Her gaze flickered briefly to Paloma, whose elven ears twitched nervously in response to the Commander's entrance. Cullen cleared his throat when their gazes touched, and he reached up to rub his neck awkwardly.

Cassandra smiled suggestively.

"Cass. Paloma," he greeted, paying special attention to the Inquisitor that Cassandra found adorable. Since Solas's early departure, romance had been blossoming between the two at an impressive rate. "Some bad news has come from Ferelden." His tone abandoned its affection, replaced by all-business. "The king... the king is dead, murdered by assassins that have yet to be identified."

Cassandra's eyes widened and she pushed herself away from the window. "What?"

Cullen nodded, gulping. "Rumor has it, templars are the culprit. They must have been going after the queen, but Cailan was caught in the crossfire."

No. Cassandra shook her head. "No," she repeated aloud. "How could this be? The templars would not go behind my back like this!"

Locking his gaze with hers, Cullen slowly set the roll of parchment down on the table and slid it across to her. As Cassandra snatched it up and began reading, he continued. "The templar order lost its way even before Corypheus corrupted them. I fear they do not care to answer to the Maker or the Divine any longer. Outraged by the annulment of the Rite, it's easy to believe they would go after the mage queen to make a statement."