Chapter Text
It only takes two days before Cassandra is calling for Terys to join her and the other advisors in the Chantry. Her first official Inquisition meeting. Which means that she has to wear her ‘official’ outfit, as she has come to call it in her head. She is still not used to the looks and the whispers and being worshipped as some Herald. Solas still watches her. As if he is waiting for her to snap and murder at any moment, and well, he’s not wrong. She has really struggled with the Urge in these last two days. So she’s kept herself to her cabin mostly. Writing to Gortash and Sceleritas to try and get a plan in place. If she knew what the Inquisition’s plan was, it would be easier, so maybe this meeting has come at a very opportune time. Once she knows what their plans are, she can really start making her own. To get a good idea where and when she will find the most opportune moment to flee from them all. Inside of the Chantry, Cassandra walks at Terys’ side, heading towards the back room. Cassandra glances over at Terys and then away again, trying to figure out what to say to fill the silence. Because if she is honest, Terys makes her skin crawl in a way she can’t explain. Since the moment she met her, it’s been there. An intensity.
“Does it trouble you?” Cassandra asks her as they come to a stop before the far door.
“What?” Terys counters and Cassandra motions to Terys’ marked hand. Terys curls her fingers into her palm and clenches her jaw. “Oh” Terys whispers and then shakes her head. “Not really” Terys admits and then heads onward towards the door. Cassandra follows her. The mark on her hand is actually constantly painful. It is hard to ignore at the best of times. But she doesn’t need these people fussing over her if they think she is weak.
“What’s important is that your mark is now stable, as is the Breach. You’ve given us time, and Solas believes that a second attempt might succeed provided the mark has more power. The same level of power used to open the Breach in the first place. That is not easy to come by” Cassandra admits. Terys turns a look on Cassandra.
“Clearly” Terys starts. “You have something in mind”
“We do” Cassandra agrees and then pushes open the door to the room that Terys found herself in days ago. Only it is not Roderick and his accusations that she finds. Josephine, Leliana and Cullen are waiting around the large table covered in a map of Ferelden, Orlais and the Sword Coast. Although the Sword Coast map seems to be a tag on piece. Likely only found because of Terys and her origins. She has clearly come from farther away than they were expecting. Perhaps ignorance on their part. Their war affects the rest of the world. Even those beyond the Amarantine Ocean. If the Templars win, then they may get some ideas on how the mages are treated in the rest of the world. If the Chantry gets a victory under the belt, imprisoning their mages, what is to stop them from trying for those beyond. Cassandra approaches the table as Terys closes the door behind them before joining Cassandra. “You have already met everyone here” Cassandra starts as she leans on the table. “But for formal introductions….Commander Cullen, leader of the Inquisition’s forces” She motions with her free hand towards Cullen.
“Such as they are” He offers with an incline of his head.
“Lady Josephine Montilyet, our ambassador and chief diplomat” Cassandra moves on, motioning to Josephine.
“Andaran atish’an” Josephine greets and Terys blinks at her surprised by the elven coming out of her mouth. The people this side of the sea aren’t really all that interested in becoming knowledgeable in other cultures. Terys herself knows very little elven. Only what she remembers her mother teaching her as a child, but she had no interest in it. And Bhaal had no interest in her learning.
“You speak elven?” Terys asks her.
“You’ve just heard the entirety of it, I’m afraid”
“Ah, good” Terys comments. “That’s pretty much all I remember too” She shrugs at Josephine who then relaxes, free from having to worry about it.
“And Sister Leliana” Cassandra nods to Leliana.
“My position here involves a degree of…” Leliana starts to explain only for Cassandra to bluntly counter her.
“She is our spymaster”
“Yes. Tactfully put, Cassandra”
“Cassandra tells me you have a plan” Terys shifts closer to the table to look over the map.
“I mentioned that your mark needs more power to close the Breach for good,” Cassandra explains.
“Which means we must approach the rebel mages for help” Leliana informs Terys who hums in agreement.
“And I still disagree. The Templars could serve just as well” Cullen argues. Terys chuckles at that idea. Templars are such a foreign concept to her, a humorous one. That instead of encouraging and teaching their mages to be safe with their magic and to educate them on the Fade and the risk of demons, they just straight up imprison them. Cullen gives her a look and she clears her throat.
“Sorry” She offers, not sounding all that apologetic. “We don’t have Templars in Faerun; we find them unnecessary”
“We need power, Commander” Cassandra pushes the conversation onward, ignoring Terys’ comment and likely trying to not escalate that conversation. “Enough magic poured into that mark…” Cullen draws his eyes from Terys.
“Might destroy us all” He finishes before she can. “Templars could suppress the Breach, weaken it so….”
“Pure speculation” Leliana argues.
“I was a templar” Cullen counters, turning to look at her. “I know what they’re capable of”
“Unfortunately, neither group will even speak to us yet” Josephine defuses. “The Chantry has denounced the Inquisition–and you” Josephine turns to Terys. “Specifically”
“Can’t you simply ignore them?” Terys asks, not sure why it should matter either way.
“If only that were possible” Leliana voices.
“Some are calling you–an elf-blooded mage,” Josephine admits. “The ‘Herald of Andraste.’ That frightens the Chantry. The remaining clerics have declared it blasphemy, and we heretics for harbouring you”
“Chancellor Roderick’s doing, no doubt” Cassandra scoffs.
“It limits our options,” Josephine informs them. “Approaching the mages or templars for help is currently out of the question.
“I’m no herald of anything. Especially not Andraste” Terys states firmly, finally getting a chance to voice how she feels about all of the focus on her title. Cullen chuckles.
“I’m sure the Chantry would agree”
“People are desperate for a sign of hope. For some, you’re that sign” Leliana adds.
“And to others, a symbol of everything that’s gone wrong”
“So if I wasn’t with the Inquisition…” Terys starts.
“Let’s be honest: they would have censured us no matter what” Cullen admits as he places his hands on the hilt of his sword.
“And you not being here isn’t an option” Cassandra adds firmly and Terys hums a little. That is disconcerting. A problem for her plans. They are prepared to hold on tight to her.
“There is something you can do. A Chantry cleric by the name Mother Giselle has asked to speak to you. She is not far, and knows those involved far better than I. Her assistance could be invaluable”
“That’s not at all concerning,” Terys mumbles. “You don’t think it could be an ambush?”
“I doubt it,” Leliana argues. “From what I know of her, she is a kind soul and not the sort to involve herself in violence” She shifts slightly to motions to the map and Cullen slides a Chantry marker towards where the Hinterlands are marked. “You will find Mother Giselle tending to the wounded in the Hinterlands near Redcliffe” Terys wrinkles her nose a little. More unnecessary stuff to do. But being out in the wilds does bring up more opportunities for escape.
“Look for other opportunities to expand the Inquisition’s influence while you’re there” Cullen adds and Terys folds her arms over her chest. She has no intention of doing that. She has no intention whatsoever in staying and helping them. But for now, she’ll agree.
“We need agents to extend our reach beyond this valley, and you’re better suited than anyone to recruit them” Josephine offers softer than Cullen, a little more encouraging. Terys wonders if Cullen is fully aware of her field of study and that is why he sounds so prickly with her, that and perhaps her comments about templars.
“In the meantime, let’s think of other options” Cassandra orders of the others. “ I won’t leave this all to the Herald”