Stone Beneath Her Feet
It had taken over a week for the refugees of Haven to reach the mountain fortress that Solas named Skyhold. Rekkah would very much like to know how the elven wanderer had known about the keep in the first place, but the apostate kept his secrets close. He was very much an outsider, coolly polite to everyone, but always holding himself at a distance. The only one he seemed even remotely close to was Cole, and even then he acted more like an indulgent older relative than a friend.
She had asked him about the fortress, only to be told he had seen it in the fade. Rekkah frowned as she walked the ramparts. 'Seen in the fade' had become his default answer to most questions she had for him, but Rekkah knew when she was being lied to. Let Solas keep his secrets. As long as those secrets brought no harm to her kith and kin, she would not push him for the truth.
The newly named Inquisitor paused in her walk, looking down into the courtyard at the small grouping of tents that held the wounded, among them Kyleen Shepard, the woman from the temple. Solas, along with the rest of the healers, had been adamant that she ride in a wagon for the trip to the fortress. From the comments Rekkah had overheard, Shepard, as she preferred to be called, had not been happy at being regulated to the back a wagon cart. Strangely enough it had been Cole that had convinced her to cooperate with the healers. Of course the fact that Dorian kept hitting her with sleep spells when she got too irritable also had a lot to do with it. Dorian had regaled her with the fact that Shepard now viewed the mage as the bane of her existence and that she had accused him of "conspiring with Chakwas to keep her in bed." Rekkah took that to mean she had been a difficult patient her entire life and viewed healers as a whole as something to avoid at all costs.
She hadn't had a chance to formally meet Shepard yet, but from what Dorian had told her, she was lost in more ways than one. Well she would make the time to meet with her today, tomorrow at the latest. If this Shepard was going to be a problem, Rekkah wanted to know about it sooner rather than later.
Rekkah turned towards the main building, picking her way over the piles of rubble left over from the decades of abandonment the castle had suffered. Even though Skyhold was badly in need of repair, the underlying structure was sound. She had already sent word to her clan for stonemasons to come and oversee the repairs to the structure. Surfacers they might be, but the Stone still called to the majority of those in her clan. And the Stone was strong here. She could feel the strength of the rock in the mountains around her, cradling the keep in its embrace. This was a strong fortress and it was hers now.
Entering the main hall from the walkway connecting the keep to the battlements, she turned and headed into the library. Dorian had laid claim to a nook there already, and that was where she found him. Mages, tranquil and scholars were already hard at working organizing what books had been saved from Haven. Others worked on reports, or just chatted quietly with each other, enjoying a respite after the long journey.
"Ah, if it isn't our lovely inquisitor, here to beard the dastardly Tevinter blood mage in his secret den of darkness."
Rekkah just raised a brow at the mage. "If you want a secret den of darkness, there's a small library next to the wine cellar."
Dorian thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. "No better not. Best to stay out in the open where everyone can see me. It might help keep the gossip down." He flashed a smile that was bitterer than normal "Wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea after all."
"Something going on I should know about?" She knew that there were those in the Inquisition that didn't want the mage to remain at Skyhold, but she trusted Dorian well enough. He had risked everything to warn her about the attack on Haven, and she would not turn him out simply to appease those that distrusted the Tevinter on principle.
"Nothing I can't handle dear Rekkah." His smile warmed and his eyes softened, just enough. "It's not like I expected to be welcomed with open arms. Let me deal with the gossips in my own fashion my dear." He smirked, his eyes bright with restored humor. "If they really want to get under my skin, they'll have to work harder. The gossips here are rank amateurs when compared to the ones at home in Minrathous."
"If you insist I'll let it go. But if it goes beyond mere gossip, I need to know Dorian."
"You'll be the first to know if anything happens to my august self. Now what can I do for you?"
"Shepard. What do you think of her?"
"She's a strange one. Keeps asking people where we are, and doesn't like answers she's getting." He paused, his hand reaching up and absently rubbing his moustache. "She's seems confused at the most basic use of magic, but she has power of her own. We all saw that in Haven." He frowned in thought. "I noticed that she was utterly appalled at the conditions of the camp and the healers' tent when we got here. She also didn't seem that impressed with Skyhold itself. Said something about how she didn't believe stone was strong enough to withstand a modern artillery strike."
"So she's military of some kind."
"I'd say so. She's got all the signs of it. But I've never heard of any army outside of Tevinter allowing mages into its ranks. And even in Tevinter, mages are only part of special units, not the rank and file."
Rekkah thanked Dorian and turned towards the stairs leading up to the rookery. Leliana had her lair there, and she wanted to speak to the spymaster about their mystery woman.
It was late evening when Rekkah gathered her advisors, along with Iron Bull, Solas, and Dorian in the war room for a meeting about their guest. She also had no doubt that Cole would appear if he thought he was needed, though at this point he'd more or less attached himself to either Solas, Varric, or herself. If you wanted the spirit boy, you had to seek one of them out and hope that Cole was there, and in the mood to be found.
She stood and looked around the room, her eyes landing first on Iron Bull and Leliana. The two spies were the most suited to ferreting out any secrets the woman may have. "What do you have for me?"
Leliana and Bull glanced at each other before Leliana answered. "Understand that I've had very little time, and most of my people are still in disarray over the Elder One's attack on Haven." She frowned in displeasure. Leliana disliked not knowing everything about everyone in Skyhold. "I've been able to learn nothing about the woman. It seems she first appeared in Thedas the night she showed up at the Temple of Sacred Ashes. Though from what I've observed, this Shepard is a woman used to command." A slight quirk of her lips, "She also has an almost unreasonable dislike of healers and bed rest."
"She's definitely military of some kind. You don't get that kind of discipline on the battlefield without being in a lot of fights. And I'm not talking about little skirmishes with bandits on the road, I mean full scale battles." Bull's single eye gleamed in the mage lights that were scattered around the room. "She's also a lot heavier than she looks. More so than just what muscle mass could account for."
Solas spoke next, his voice thoughtful as always. "I'm honestly not sure what she is. She is human, I can tell you that much." He sighed. "I've attempted to approach her in the fade, but her sleeping mind is difficult to reach. She is almost dwarf-like in that regard."
"If she's a mage, she's the strangest one I've ever met." Dorian put in. "When we spoke that night in camp, it was like we were speaking a different language, never mind we understood each other's words. She also got upset when I used magic to scan her for injuries."
"So she's a mage that dislikes magic?" Cullen asked his tone skeptical.
"No I think she was more upset because she didn't know how I scanned her, not that I was checking her for injuries. Asked me where my, what did she call it? Ah yes, where my ommitol was, whatever that is.”
Rekkah made a thoughtful sound in the back of her throat as she thought. "What about her equipment? Did it make it out of Haven when we evacuated?"
"I don't believe so. If it is not in the undercroft, then it's most likely still in the Chantry cellars." Josephine had been in charge of getting most of the supplies out of Haven. If she said the woman's armor was still under the Chantry, then that's where it was.
"I was hoping to send workers back to Haven to scavenge what they could from the ruins. There could also still be survivors in the surrounding woods." Cullen traced the route back to Haven with his finger on the map. "We could send the Chargers and some soldiers with the workers for protection."
“Do it.” Rekkah tapped the map on Skyhold's location then moved her own finger down to the edge of the map. “I'm leaving within the next few days for the Fallow Mire. It's been almost three weeks since our scouts were taken by the Avvar. I don't want to wait any longer to get them back than we already have.”
“The delay could not be helped. From what I know of the Avvar, they won't torture the hostages simply because they're bored, but they also won't wait forever before slitting their throats and leaving the bodies to rot in the Mire.” Cullen grimaced, rubbing his forehead in an effort to relieve a headache.
She had noticed that his headaches were getting worse. Rekkah wondered idly when he was going to tell her about the lyrium withdrawal he was going through. Foolishness on his part to try and hide it from her. She was Carta. She knew the signs when she saw them. Rekkah decided not to tell the commander that the symptoms would get worse as time passed until all the lyrium had worked its way out of his system. No, I'll keep that to myself. No need to make him give up before he truly begins.
“I think I'll take Blackwall and Solas with me, along with at least one more person.”
“What you're leaving me here?” Dorian sounded genuinely hurt that she hadn't included him in the trip to the mire.
“Are you telling me you want to go slogging through a corpse infested swampland?” Rekkah looked the mage up and down, a disbelieving look on her face.
“Well, I, perhaps next time then?” The laughter that bubbled up around the table at the northern mage did a great deal to relieve the tension that had settled on the group.
“Why don't you see if this Serah Shepard can join you?” Josephine asked when the laughter died. “That will give the Chargers time to retrieve her equipment and for the Arcanist, Dagna I believe her name is, to examine it.” She consulted her every present clipboard, “She should be arriving her within the week.”
“We'll plan on that then. I still need another person. I'd like to take Varric, but I'm not sure when his friend is supposed to get here. He mentioned that he wanted to be here to welcome them.”
“Inquisitor if I may,” Solas watched her, his eyes thoughtful. “It might be wise to bring Cole with us. He seems to have become very attached to Serah Shepard, and might follow regardless of your wishes if left behind.”
“Cole it is then.” Rekkah turned to Cullen and Josephine. “Have Harritt and Threnn get Shepard outfitted in the morning. I think we'll head out the day after that. Is that enough time to make preparations?”
“That should suffice Inquisitor.” Josephine briskly jotted notes down as she moved toward the door. “I shall make the necessary arraignments. Also as soon as rooms are made suitable, I shall assign suitable quarters for all members of the Inner Circle.” She looked at Bull and raised brow. “The Iron Bull, I assume you are going back to Haven with the Chargers?”
Bull nodded, following the ambassador out the door. Rekkah was amused to note that the qunari had to angle his head slightly to get through the open door, as only one of the massive doors would open at the moment. “That's the plan. I might take Sera with me; keep her out from underfoot of the workers.”
“That would make things easier.” Their voices faded as they entered the long hallway leading to the room Josephine had claimed for her office.
Rekkah looked at the others, “Alright get some rest. I'll speak to Shepard first thing in the morning, and then send her to get outfitted.”
With murmurs of goodnight, they left the war room, leaving Rekkah alone with her thoughts. She gazed down at the large map that covered the massive table. Her glance touched on Haven, then moved away.
“It wasn't your fault.” Cole's voice came out of the darkness as he appeared next to her. Blue eyes peered out at the world from beneath his ever present hat. “Haven wasn't your fault.”
“Logically I know that Cole, but in here,” she pressed her had against her heart, “here is where I must believe it. That will take time, but this wound will heal.”
“But it hurts you.” He brightened. “I could take the hurt?”
“No Cole.” She smiled at the spirit boy. “Memories make us who we are. If you take someone's memories than you change that person.”
“But if I make you forget, you won't hurt so much.” He reached out and gingerly touched his hand to hers where it lay on the edge of the table. “I want to help.”
“There are many ways to help Cole. Not everything can be solved by taking someone’s pain from them.” She patted his hand and looked up at him, making sure to meet his sky bright eyes. “Now I have a question for you.”
“Yes?”
“What do you see when you look at Shepard?” Rekkah waited as he thought. She could still remember his answer when she had asked him the same question, only about herself instead. ‘You're too bright. Like counting birds against the sun. The mark makes you more. But past it . . . the stone, still there, silent and reaching up for the blood that walks. No dreams with the cord cut. You sell it.’ Those words had echoed in her mind that night, and had left her wondering just what he had meant.
“She left and then was returned, it makes her hard to see. They touched her mind, black tears and ashes falling on her checks, as the skies rain fire on steel cities.” His eyes had gone distant as he struggled to put into words what he saw when looking at the woman that had fallen from the sky. “Cold, so very cold. Never be warm again. Cold thoughts slither though her mind. Never show the fear, never show the doubt.” He blinked, focusing on her again. “So very bright, yet dark too. She hides the fear of falling just like you do.”
Rekkah was quite as she tried to make sense of what Cole has told her. “Thank you Cole. Now go get some rest. We're going to go to the Fallow Mire in two days and I'd like you to go with me.”
“Alight. Can Shepard come too?”
“I'll ask her.”