Into the Chaos

chapter nineteen

Cullen
Cass
Decius
Leliana
Josephine
Dorian
everyone else

" Who is this then? Why is he here ?" Leliana asks when she sees Decius. He had gone to drop off our things while I went to get the others, so we could do introductions all at once.

"I'll let him introduce himself but he's a good friend of mine. And a seer. Of sorts."

" Decius Vespillo. It's a pleasure to meet you all in person ."

" Do we need to introduce ourselves ?"

" If it makes you feel better. It doesn't matter to me. What does matter, where is Dorian ?"

"That's a good question. Can you send someone for him Leliana?" I ask.

She nods and goes to speak to a scout in the hall.

" To business then? "

"Yes. Redcliffe. We would like to address both parties but ultimately Redcliffe is more important."

" We don't have the manpower to take the castle. Either we find another way in or give up this nonsense and go and get the templars ."

" Redcliffe is in the hands of a Magister. This cannot be allowed to stand."

" The letter from Alexius asked for the Herald of Andraste by name. It's an obvious trap. "

"A trap it may be but we could use it to our advantage. He wants me, yes? Let him. Bring some agents in. Kill the guards. Take some mages. Be on our merry way."

" Redcliffe castle is one of the most defensible fortresses in Ferelden. It has repelled thousands of assaults. If you go in there, you'll die, and we'll lose the only means of closing these rifts. I won't allow it ."

" If we do not even try to meet Alexius, we lose the mages and leave a hostile foreign power on our doorstep ."

" Even if we could assault the keep, it would be for naught. An Orlesian inquisition's army marching into Ferelden would provoke a war. Our hands are tied ."

" The magister —"

"— has outplayed us ."

" There are ways into the castle. The Hero of Ferelden had to get into the castle during the Blight somehow, right ?"

" There is a secret passage into the castle, an escape route for the family. It's too narrow for our troops but we could send agents through."

"To risky. Those agents will be discovered well before they reach the Magister."

" That's why we need a distraction. Perhaps the envoi Alexius wants so badly ."

"Focus their attention on the Herald while we take out the Vint's. It's risky but it could work."

The door slams open, Dorian strolls in ahead of a bewildered looking scout.

" Fortunately, you'll have help ."

The scout goes to say something but Leliana stops him and dismisses him with a wave of her hand.

" Your spies will never get past Alexius's magic without my help, so if you're going after him, I'm coming along ."

Cullen turns to me, " the plan puts you in the most danger. We can't, in good conscience, order you to do this. We can still go after the templars if you'd rather not play the bait. It's up to you."

"I decided on what I was going to do long before I stepped into this room. I can be the bait." I focus on Decius; Can I ask you not to come with me?

Decius simply smiles at me. " Can we speak to Dorian alone for a moment? Depending on what he says depends on what the entirety of our plan entails ."

The advisors walk out the door, Decius closes it behind them.

" You had a question I presume ?"

"Yes, it is an odd one. Pure speculation. Wait, Decius?"

" Yes ?"

"What would change if we did this?"

" Not much, hopefully. Oh, wait! Change of plans. Send a letter? I go meet them somewhere while you're doing mage stuff. If there were only a few, that should be enough, yes ?"

"Maybe. Where exactly is Therinfall at though? What is the halfway point?"

" It's almost in the middle of the southern hills if I remember correctly. From Redcliffe it would be that dip in the river off Lake Calenhad ." He points to it. " From Haven it would be at this lake right here ," he points to that one as well.

" I'm getting the sense that I'm not really needed any longer ."

"Apologies. We thought the idea was sound but, evidently, it was not. You can stay for this next bit if you'd like but you don't need to." I go to open the door.

The others file back in, looking at us to explain. I gesture at Decius for him to go ahead.

" Our previous idea is a no go. Through fault of poor foresight. However, I think that if we can send that templar, Ser Barris, a note in my name, not connected to the Inquisition, he might be willing to join. I intend to meet him and whoever he brings, halfway between here and Therinfal Redoubt. That's this little lake thing right here. It would have to be planned just right. So that he doesn't hear about us having the mages already. You may have to postpone the meeting with Alexius. Travelling by myself won't take as long but I'm accounting for his travel time. Josephine, do you think you can help me construct such a message ?"

" Certainly. If everyone else is in agreement ."

No one protests.

"Great. I hope everyone was sincere. You wanted more templars, and so templars you shall have. You want mages, we'll get plenty. There is one other thing. Haven may not survive much longer. We want to save as many as we can. But the evening of the day we close the Breach, Haven will get attacked. And ultimately end up destroyed. We could make a camp out in the mountains and take every civilian there a day or so before. Permitted we have resources to do so."

" And how do you know this ?"

"My best friend is a seer."

"So you said before, but we have had no evidence of it."

Decius rolls his eyes, " name someone that you all know. That I for sure haven't had the chance of meeting yet ."

" The three of us ."

" Someone."

"Isabella."

"Pirate. Stole a book from the Qunari. Lived in Kirkwall for at least seven years. Friends with Varric. Came in passing with you in Denerim with the Warden. Varric called her Rivaini. Does that suffice?"

"Zevran."

"Antivan. A crow. Tried to kill the Warden. Elf. Met Hawke at some point. Knows Isabella. Anyone else?"

"Dorian."

"He's literally right there. Fine. An Altus in the Imperium. Dad is a dick. Tutored by Alexius. Can play Chess. Allergic to Stripweed."

"Alright you had your fun. That's enough. Yes or no to the camp?"

" I don't think we have the resources to spare, Herald ."

"Of course you don't. Fine. Decius, get to writing that letter. I'm going to go find us a book."