There and Back Again Ch. 130

"There have been more maleficar turned over for justice too," Leliana continued. "Mages policing themselves, refusing to allow the few rotten apples to endanger their new freedom. Thanks to the mages, a huge gathering of blood mages in Denerim was aborted, the members captured and brought to the Chantry. They were discovered by some of the mages assigned to the army, and captured by a combined effort between templars and free mages." I twitched in surprise; I'd heard nothing about this, and clearly neither had Aedan or Alistair, by their shocked expressions.

"But it won't be possible if the future I've seen is allowed to proceed," I pleaded. "Something must be done before it is too late. Meredith, Lambert, Elthina, even Orsino...it must be stopped."

Dorothea looked pensively from Leliana's earnest face to mine. "I will do everything in my power. I give you my word. I do not fear mages, but change will not be accepted overnight. But I swear to you, I will find a way to change the path we are on."

And for once, her sincerity rang absolutely true. I don't know if she'll be able to change fate, but I do believe she will actually try. That's a relief.

We spoke for a little while longer, Leli and the others telling stories of our travels during the Blight, me telling stories of fantastical things -- technology and other things -- from Earth. I had to admit, by the time we were ready to leave, I'd been thoroughly charmed by the woman, despite my urge to keep my walls up. She was still a manipulator, but a force for good, I was convinced.

Aedan, Alistair, Zev and I planned to sneak into the main chapel and then be seen praying, perhaps getting a public blessing from one of the Mothers there, as a cover for our visit; Dorothea asked Leliana to stay -- to plan, I assumed. Leli promised to meet up with us at the palace for supper.

The new Grand Cleric pulled me to my feet and hugged me, when I tried to curtsy as we left. "I know you have no reason to trust me, but I will do what I can; I swear it," she whispered in my ear.

"Thank you, your Grace. But please, also remember...Leliana is an asset to you, but she is much, much more to the rest of us. Please don't forget, in all your plans, that we need her back in one piece when she's done?"

"I promise." I felt her nod, and she squeezed me once before letting go.

"I hope to meet you all again sometime," she said to the four of us. "And remember, if you need me, I owe each of you for not only ending the Blight, but for keeping Leliana safe for me. Should you ever need anything, if it is within my power, it is yours."

Aedan and Alistair bowed their heads gravely, deeply affected by the promise; I saw a smirk flash across Zev's face, and I elbowed him firmly in the ribs before he could suggest anything lewd. We both stifled a completely inappropriate snicker, and then we were sneaking down the stairs to the chapel.

***

Chantry services were boring, I reflected later; we'd spent a good hour being preached at by one of the Sisters inside the chapel -- not Sister Theohild, to my disappointment, because at least there would have been bacon in that sermon -- and then Aedan had ostentatiously handed over a heavy bag of coin before we climbed back into the carriage and wended our way slowly back to the palace. Every merchant in Denerim, it seemed, had been on the streets, oxen and carts everywhere, and the ride had taken quite a while.

Zevran had made me chuckle with a pronouncement, once we were out of earshot of anyone in the Chantry: "Oh, she is very good. I should like to take lessons in manipulation from her, yes?" But to my relief, I was not alone in my assessment that Dorothea was a skilled bard -- and yet, at the same time, sincere and benevolent. Aedan also agreed; Alistair was caught somewhere between embarrassment at his implied naivety and outrage that we were at all skeptical of the 'nice lady'. I managed not to laugh, just patting his hand gently and changing the subject.

Over the next two days, with the feared visit with Dorothea behind us, we shifted our focus back to the shipwreck. The remainder of the ship's survivors were questioned and released; no further details were discovered about the identity of the presumed inside man, and all of the crew believed he had drowned. Cailan was disappointed -- I knew I'd have liked to have someone to blame for Riordan's death, and that must have been a stronger urge for him, given the guilt he felt at even unknowingly sending Anora and Riordan to their deaths -- but to everyone's relief, he seemed to have passed the hurdle of his own horror and inability to cope. He had met with the demanding nobles, hand-selected a group of soldiers to bolster the ranks at Soldier's Peak, formally visited and approved the new Alienage, and had started planning for a diplomatic trip to Nevarra.

"Nevarra?" I asked.

"Duke Anaxas is likely to be...displeased," Cailan replied wryly. "Anora's marriage contract netted us some much-needed aid from Nevarra, through Rethnar calling in favours. Now that I can no longer offer him a politically skilled wife to aid him in his quest for power...well, a royal visit should placate him."

Even knowing it was hopeless, Thedosian geography being what it was, I had to say it. "Just...tell me you're not going by sea!"