My Lover's Phylactery

[moffnat]

A Dragon Age Roleplay
Sansa Stark and Artorias

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[Artorias]

Ser Edric and Ser Barris had arrived at Skyhold within the week of the letter they had received. Josephine had written to them about the current situation the Order was in, and how they needed to be united underneath one Leader. Not Three. They had all agreed on this, and made passage to Skyhold to have this current matter settled once in for all. The remaining Templars had put their faith in Barris, Edric and Morton -- even though they all had differing opinions and ideas on what should be focused on and dealt with first. Ser Morton had decided to ignore the request of his presence at Skyhold, believing that his current task was more important than what the Inquisitor had to say.

"Whatever happens, Ser Edric, you are my Brother and my Friend." Ser Barris and Edric stood in the center of an escort, traveling the final mile to Skyhold. The grand keep was coming in view as they broke over the small hill atop of the Mountain, the beauty of the Keep was truly astonishing and a wonder to how it was empty until the Inquisition occupied it. "You speak as if one of us is going to die, friend. The Inquisitor and his Council believe we need a new Knight-Commander." Edric rode the horse steadily, keeping the escort moving at a brisk pace, wanting to make it into Skyhold before the sun set for the day. The hole in the sky was closed -- for now. Inquisitor Trevelyan had aid in closing the Breach thanks to the Templars, after they were saved by Inquisitor Trevelyan from the Red Templars. The Bastards he once called 'Brother'.

"With one of us becoming Knight-Commander, one of us will be required to stay here at Skyhold more often."

"Yes. I am quite aware that they will want to work closely with whoever is elected, but that is fine. I would prefer to lead my men from the Frontlines against the Demons and Rebel Mages...but Politics and Coordination are more important." Edric hated Politics, but knew that they were important. Especially with Thedas's current state of disarray.

"Do you want to be Knight-Commander?"

"In truth, I just wanted to be a Chevalier. Not this, a Mage Watcher...but life decided it had other things in mind."

"I just want to do whats right. To bring the Order back to proper respect and ideals. Slaughtering innocents is not of our code." Ser Barris was young and naive of the world still. That was a good thing, and Edric wanted the young lad to keep onto those ideals. The day for change was fast approaching. "You could of left the Order, when the Order left the Chantry and it was utter chaos."

"I had thought about it, but it is far too late for me to leave now." With the lyrium the Templars had to take, they became addicted to it and it was a hard habit to break. A habit that could kill them if they decided to stop. Lyrium was a dangerous and powerful thing, but it was what gave the Templars their abilities to thwart the Magic of the Mages.

"Enough of this sad talk Ser Barris, we have arrived. Best not keep the Inquisitor waiting." Edric had dismounted his Horse when they arrived inside of Skyhold. The gates had opened and Inquisition Soldiers guiding them in, and took their horses for the stable to groom and feed. The Horses were tough, carrying the Templars around in their ornate, but practical armor.

Once they dismounted and gathered their barrings, the Templar Escort was given relief and shown the way to the Tavern. Barris and Edric were escorted up into Skyhold's Keep itself, where Inquisitor Trevelyan would be waiting. Sitting on the Inquisition Throne, like he was ready to give judgement. The room was filled with Orlesian and Ferelden Nobles, chatter among the groups as Barris and Edric walked down the middle, stopping in front of the steps that would lead to the Inquisitor. Edric's eyes landed on an Elven Maiden, she seemed young and innocent, standing to the side with the Inquisitor's closest friends. His eyes had met with hers for mere moments before turning his head to the Inquisitor.

"Inquisitor. Ser Barris and Ser Edric have arrived. Ser Morton; however, thought it was best that he ignore your call and continue pressing the Mages and Demon reportings." Jospehine was speaking, some very obvious things about the group to the Inquisitor, but Edric did not speak out against it. Just waited. "These two have both shown what it means to be a Templar. They have gone above and beyond their respected duties, staying behind to help rebuild a town or even protect it for the night. The only problem is, they are still divided with no one truly leading them from the head. They all turn to one another -- much like us before you were elected, Inquisitor." Jospehine gave a brief report on what Barris and Edric have done since the Red Templars were thwarted and sent scattering back to the Vints and Corypheus.

 

[moffnat]

The Inquisitor's judgement had always been trustworthy. Ever since joining the movement back in the Hinterlands, when Lord Trevelyan had cleared the Crossroads and made surrounding land safer, Danellya had never hesitated trusting his decisions. When the rebel mages joined, Danellya would be a fool to say she wasn't particularly thrilled as well as faithful in the choice, but now that the Templar Order had succumbed to red lyrium, she supposed there would be some who would try to salvage it. She had seen this meeting coming. No matter how she felt about the Order or those who dedicated to it, she was neither a fool nor unrealistic in what would become of it. Such was her hesitant nature, that when the two templars entered the room with heads high and words of honor, Danellya bit her lip nervously.

"Welcome," said the Inquisitor. "You must have done honorable deeds to earn such respect among your peers. We are honored to house you here in Skyhold."

Cullen nodded his head in agreement. "I have great respect for your continued service. As for who will obtain the title of Knight-Commander, perhaps we should hold a vote?" Cullen rested his hands on the hilt of his blade, thinking before he spoke again. "There has never been such an accordance among the Order. With recent events, I think it fitting that they should choose their own leader versus having one appointed to them."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Leliana agreed. "We could hold a vote publicly tonight, or tomorrow, depending on how weary our visitors are from travel. The remaining templars, few though they are, have joined the ranks of the Inquisition. If notified, I am sure they would participate in the rebirth of their Order."

"So long as the vote is not corrupted," said Dany bitterly. She folded her arms across her chest. "We should have Cullen there to preside over it."

The Inquisitor frowned, though he understood. "I think that's fair. He was once one of them. Is that acceptable, Commander?"

"Absolutely."

"Good. Then perhaps our templar friends should get situated among the rooms here?" Trevelyan stroked his small beard before looking to Danellya. "Would you mind?"

"What?" Dany stood straight, fearful. "No. I think it best if Cassandra does it."

"We can both do it," Cassandra said knowingly. "Come, gentlemen. Lady Danellya and I will find quarters for you." The Seeker placed a gentle hand on Dany's back, encouraging her forward. Danellya obliged and submitted, much to her inner disdain, and promptly left the war room with three unexpected followers.

 

[Artorias]

Edric and Barris looked between one another as the Inquisition proposed that instead of Inquisitor Trevelyan choosing a Knight-Commander, that one should be voted by the Templars. They have tried a similar method only weeks ago, to no avail. The vote was almost split perfectly between the three. Perhaps the Inquisitor would hear the Templars vote, and when the tie arose, Trevelyan could then pick on his own. "As you wish, Your Worship." Edric would not complain about the Inquisitor's decision, but maybe nudge the Inquisitor in the direction of taking the reigns himself and casting in his own vote. No Templar would question the Inquisitor's choice on Knight-Commander, they all owed their life to him.

Cullen was the one that originally proposed the vote anyways, a former Knight-Commander in Kirkwall after Meredith was taken care of. That was only for a short time before he left and joined the Inquisition, and now here he was in front of Cullen. He had met Cullen once or twice in his travels to the Circles, but Cullen wasn't the only one he had met before. He has met Cassandra every now and then, her being a Seeker and belonging to the Chantry would do that. He never held a conversation with her, and never intended to, even to this day.

"Thank you, Your Worship." Barris gave a half bow to the Inquisitor before tapping Edric on the shoulder for them to follow the Lady Elf and the Ex-Seeker to their quarters for their remaining time at Skyhold.

The two Templars followed behind Lady Danellya and Lady Cassandra, quietly speaking to themselves. "Another vote? We may have Cullen, the Inquisitor and others join in the vote for a tie breaker." Ser Barris spoke quietly to Edric, not wanting to disturb the two in front of them with boring politics of the Order and the problems they were currently having. "Yes. I suppose one of them would step in to break the vote...maybe one of us will gain more 'supporters' with Ser Morton refusing to come." Edric had shrugged before waving his hand to finish speaking about this. It was all they had talked about on the travels up to Skyhold.

"So. Lady Danellya, what is your story and how you came to be a part of the Inquisition? If I may be so bold to ask, that is." He already knew enough about Cassandra and why she had joined the Inquisition. To avenge Divine Justinia and being a Seeker wasn't going to accomplish that. Leliana left the Chantry as well, when the Divine was killed. How the Chantry took many blows. The death of the Divine, the Left and Right hand of the Divine leaving to join a 'rebel' cause that has since turned holy and now approved by the Chantry. The Templars leaving the Chantry to become their own Order...or so Lord Seeker Lucius had told them, only to turn on them by surrendering them over to Corypheus.

 

[moffnat]

Danellya cringed at being addressed so openly. She'd known that, on the Inquisitor's orders, she could not be hateful toward innocent templars. Branding them all with the crime of her attacker would reap no benefit, nor would it encourage friendly interaction between the mages and templars surrounding her. Still, it was almost instinct. She bit her lip and forced out a frustrated sigh at the situation. Cassandra looked over to her and offered a nod of encouragement.

"Hm. Well, I'm a mage if you couldn't tell. Or an apostate, to you. I was in the Hinterlands when the war broke out. I did my share of fighting. Then the Inquisition took me in. That's all there is to it." The flatness in her tone suggested the weight of what else had occurred, but she was not willing to speak of it, and certainly not with strangers. Cassandra seemed to understand and directed the conversation elsewhere.

"We are pleased you have come, sers. The remaining templars have been eager for your arrival. If you have time, I suggest you go and meet with them. You'll find many you assumed to be dead, I'm sure. This place has brought countless people back together."

"Yes. I'm sure many happy stories await you." Danellya's words were cold, and in consequence Cassandra shot her a sideways glare.

 

[Artorias]

Edric could hear the venom dripping from the Elf's words as she spoke flatly. Edric may not be old, but he knew communication and body language quite well for a Templar. He learned the trick of reading someone being a Templar. Whereas other Templars forgo the thought of reading body language and voice infliction, it was how Edric was capable of finding out tens situations or what mage may snap in the future and stop it before anything serious may have happened. Without harming the Mage, of course. "My Lady, you mistake me. I only believe that an Apostate is a Blood Mage." He despised Blood Magic. He had seen his fair share of Blood Magic during this small rebellion fight, and heard the tales of Kirkwall. Cullen has seen the horrors of Blood Magic at Kirkwall and the Tower of Ferelden. Blood Magic was never good, in any circumstance. Ever.

Barris couldn't tell if Dany was just a rude Elf, or if she was always like this. Edric patted Barris on the shoulder to pay attention to where he was walking, the poor lad almost walked into a small table holding a vase of flowers by a doorway. What an odd, but decorative place to put such a thing. "I suppose they would like to re-unite with us, or stay with the Inquisition. It is their choice now...the Order has many challenges and changes that need to happen." Edric spoke to Lady Cassandra now, leaving Dany's past terse remarks in the past.

He already had a fair share of mages that hated him, best not to make another one, right? Her hatred could run deep...deep enough to bring her into his room late at night and slit his throat.

"Yes. The Order has...deteriorated over the many years." Barris chimed in, the male keeping stride with Edric. "Yes. The Order surely has fallen below grace...We once stood for what we believed a righteous cause, but maybe that cause was built out of fear." He now referred to the Darkspawn and how it was the 'Mages' fault, and that was why they were locked away for the rest of their lives.

Once they arrived at the guest rooms that they would be sleeping in for the remainder of their stay, Edric turned to Lady Cassandra and Lady Danellya. His face was serious, but apologetic for a mere moment as his eyes locked with Dany's. "I will change into more suitable clothing before leaving my Quarters. Perhaps the Inquisitor and his party would care to have a meal? To catch up on the Red Templars, and whatever else we may know that you wish to ask." He was speaking to Lady Cassandra this time. He had plenty of time between a possible meal and now to meet up with old Templars and see how they were doing.

 

[moffnat]

Blood magic. Such a horrifying subject for any templar, despite how useful and harmless it could be. Danellya kept her small, mocking grin to herself and shrugged her shoulders passively. "I suppose wherever the templars go, they must be confident in their choice. It matters not, so long as they help the Inquisition regardless. I'll leave you to your quarters. Welcome to Skyhold." Her attitude was cold and she brushed off his words with nothing but a nod, as she turned and left them behind.

As she did in times of trouble, Dany sought out her dear friend Dorian to relieve her anxiety. She climbed up the tower steps to where he usually was, sitting in that plush chair by the window with a book in his hand. The elf mage leaned against the bookshelf near her Tevinter friend and folded her arms. "I hate that they're here."

"I know." Dorian looked up from his text and eyed her sorrowfully. "But you mustn't."

"Just because we need them doesn't mean I have to be nice to them." Dany shook her head. "I just want to go back to my room and pretend they're not here."

"Do what you must, my dear. But we're still on for chess tonight?"

She could only smile. "Of course. I need something to keep me sane."

Maker only knew how long she would last before fleeing the Inquisition entirely was an option.

 

[Artorias]

Edric just shrugged his shoulders as he looked to Barris before entering his quarters and leaving his fellow Templar behind. Edric began to remove his gauntlets and boots of the Templar armor, next came the two leather straps on each shoulder. Hardly ever noticed, hidden well on the armor, the break the chest plate off in two and letting it drop onto the bed. The heavy weight of the Templar Armor was soon removed, leaving the cool brisk air brush along his skin. He was muscular, having to carry weapons and armor around for most of his life, and most of the day. Sometimes he had to even sleep in the damn armor...

Edric didn't want to keep anyone waiting, so he washed and dressed as quick as possible and left his Quarters. Barris would be taking his time, leaving Edric alone to meet with the rogue Templars that had joined the Order.

He just had to simply follow the directions from his memory...

After many U-Turns and asking servants where some of these Templars may be, he finally found them within the walls of Skyhold. Inside a large, make-shift dining room it appeared. They were all laughing and drinking, telling one another stories about what they were doing in the Inquisition and what they have already seen. "Well! If it isn't Knight-Captain Edric!" One boisterous man bellowed to his fellow comrades, lifting his mug of ale in the air to greet the Captain. Several would clap and cheer, making room for him to take a seat and plopping down a mug of ale. "Thank you. How has everyone been?" Edric tried to keep things civil and proper, but some were already drunk. The Inquisition Forces, ex-templars, exchanged pleasantries and brought him up to speed on why they had left for the next hour.

----

"Thank you for the warm greetings, but I best be on my way. I believe I have dinner with the Inquisitor and a few members of his Council." Edric sat down the almost full mug of ale, only having taken sips from it every now and then. "Yes. The Inquisitor! A great man he is. Saved all of us when we deserted...but it is good to know that a few good men stayed behind in the shithole of the Order." A man spoke drunkenly before waving Edric off and out of the room.

Now he just had to make way to the Dining Hall...if he could find his way in a timely manner.

Edric had wandered the halls for five minutes before coming upon the Dining Hall. It hadn't taken as long as he had thought, and without any help! He would have to learn Skyhold if he became the Knight-Commander...surely he would have to stay here for safe keeping and to direct his forces from a safe Fortress. Edric was dressed in the formal attire that was gifted to him by the Inquisition, left in his Quarters.

Making sure everything was in order, as to not appear a fool. He pushed the two grand doors opened and entered the dining Hall. "Greetings Your Worship, hopefully I am not late to my own appointment." He was the one who wanted to set up this dinner meeting. To discuss...things of the future. Maybe Edric should be focusing on the present and not the future, but having the Inquisitor's backing as soon as possible was a thing he needed to obtain.

Edric took his appointed seat, glancing between the Inquisitor and those that would be joining him. He figured it would just be Cullen, Leliana and Josephine. His War Council.