What Secrets Await

Chapter 16: Volunteers of Skyhold

Her dreamless sleep ended and she awoke disappointed. She dressed while grumbling and headed toward the tavern for breakfast. Once outside her mind found a far better subject of thought: a bright poster was tacked to a new wooden pillar in the center of the courtyard.

'Mid-morning: the Judgment of Gregory Dedrick, former mayor of Crestwood,' it read at the top in large elegant lettering. Below, in smaller font: 'Recruiting all able-bodied adults for temporary volunteer work beyond Skyhold. Find Seeker Cassandra after judgment.'

The tavern was abuzz with chatter and gossip about the announcements that she listened to while sipping porridge. When the hour arrived, the Great Hall opened its doors and soon filled. Maeva saw Cole sitting high on one of the scaffolding towers and she copied him, climbing up a different construction tower to see over the crowd to the front of the room.

The Inquisition throne suited Ellana: her head of golden braided hair and fiery red vallaslin aligned with the center of the chair's sunburst insignia and extended sunray spikes. The transformation between Ellana and the Inquisitor was remarkable, but now that Maeva had met her privately she could recognize her amid the many stately layers.

Not far away in the audience, Solas watched her from his place leaning against the wall. It was no coincidence that Maeva could see him as well from her perch.

The proceedings left a bitter taste in her mouth as she learned that the troublesome waters of Crestwood had contained drowned innocents! Her memories of the area seemed darker now with this new truth overlaid. Exile seemed an acceptable verdict despite the severity of the mayor's crimes, and the hall hummed mostly in sounds of agreement.

As the former mayor was unbound and escorted away under the populace's eyes, Maeva saw Solas subtly indicated his approval to Ellana, and the woman's eyes warmed and twinkled in response. At that moment Maeva realized there was a new connection between them, something deeper than before. Again she thought on her uneventful slumber, perplexed still at the recent dreams that might not be hers.

On her way out of the Great Hall Maeva realized just how large the Inquisition and its followers had grown. People had emerged from the stone walls and woodwork, hundreds of them. Skyhold is truly a pilgrimage destination now.

In the upper courtyard the gathering of would-be volunteers near Cassandra was unmistakable, and she went to join them. Once arrivals ended the warrior woman began explaining the volunteer program while Maeva counted their number with darting eyes. Nearly fifty!

She'd already deduced the need for the volunteer program from Varric's recent, gossip: the Inquisition would soon march upon Adamant Fortress in the Western Approach in order to stabilize the threat posed by corrupted Grey Wardens. All of their experienced forces west of the Frostbacks would be required, leaving established camps empty. Thus they requested volunteers from Skyhold to occupy those camps during the whole military effort, roughly a week, possibly more.

Cassandra's voice carried strongly across the crowd. "Understand that you are not expected to be in any danger at all," she said. "The places you volunteers will be are safe areas. Nonetheless the Inquisition would not send you into the wilderness unprepared."

She paced in front of the group slowly, her elaborate armor of Nevarran nobility glinting purple in the sunlight. "Therefore volunteers will be assessed and trained for the rest of this day in basic combat arts with of the weapon of your preference. We leave early tomorrow morning."

A pause as she looked over their faces and watched the facts sink in. "Now, then! If any of you are mages, find Lady Vivienne in front of the portcullis. The rest of you, choose a weapon from the armory or use your own. Leliana and I will await you by the training field behind the tavern."