Chapter Text
The fire blazed before her, sending piles and buildings worth of black smoke into the air. They wouldn’t be able to stay there long, someone from Hasmal or Tantervale would notice the plume and come looking. She doubted they would though; humans tended to care for their own and they always stayed in the towns. The bodies the flame enveloped began to darken and she could tell that they were already burned beyond recognition, the smell was enough to give that away. With that, she sent a cool breeze over the flames and the bodies, stopping the fire and freezing the remains. No one would know who they were, and she didn’t care, she needed to get back to her child.
Orera ran back towards the house, all but throwing down her staff upon seeing Bull carrying Anaan in his arms. Dorian was still seeing to Syrith’s wounds, probably trying to heal them better now that they weren't in any danger, which meant that Anaan had been in pain the entire time she’d dealt with the men outside.
“Mommy it hurts,” Anaan cried, tears streaming down her face as she burrowed further into her father’s arms. Orera knelt in front of the two of them, placing her hand on her daughter’s forehead and cooling her down.
“I know, kadan. I know. Mommy’s going to make you feel better.” She motioned for Bull to let Anaan sit on the bed in front of him. He spread his legs and placed her down in front, the small Vashoth wiping tears away with bruised hands. Orera took Anaan’s hands in hers, kissing them lightly before a glow began to encircle them, the skin returning to its natural gray. Her tears didn’t stop, but she grew quiet, watching as her mother healed her. Orera moved Anaan’s hair over her shoulder, placing her hands on her neck to heal the bruises there. Anaan cried out, pulling back and turning into Bull, trembling visibly. The amount of hate that Orera felt then for the men that had hurt her grew beyond her comprehension. She shushed Anaan down again, whispering to her that everything was alright, that she was only trying to stop the pain.
It took at least another hour for Orera to heal all of her daughter’s bruises, and by the last of them Anaan was sleeping soundly in Bull’s arms. Orera finally smiled, seeing her daughter sleep so soundly made her heart soften. She leaned over and kissed Bull, lingering until she felt Anaan move between them. She was only moving in her sleep though, which told Orera it was time to get back to bed. Dorian and Syrith had already passed out on the other bed, the human wrapped protectively around his elf, both oblivious to everything going on around them.
Bull moved over in the bed, closer to the wall, and placed Anaan next in between the two of them. Orera brushed the dark hair from Anaan’s face and kissed her forehead before she took Bull’s hand and squeezed it, finally feeling relief in being able to close her own eyes.
It took months for Anaan to feel safe again in Skyhold. She couldn’t bare to be away from one of her parents for too long, and she wouldn’t go with anyone other than Cullen or Josephine since she knew them. Erethi and Syrith were new faces to her, since she’d forgotten almost everything about them in the weeks she’d been taken. She’d forgotten a lot because of that.
Everyone took it well. The majority of Thedas didn’t find out Anaan had been taken until Orera returned to Skyhold and there were dignitaries and nobles there, waiting to speak with her. The idea that Skyhold was no longer safe definitely had put its occupants on edge, and Cullen responded with doubling shifts and closing any gaps in the guard. They would never let something like that happen again.
Anaan eventually turned five, and Syrith and Dorian were adamant about teaching her how to read before they left off for Tevinter. It hadn’t been hard for Syrith to decide to leave with the altus. They made their relationship no secret, and Orera knew they genuinely cared for the child. It seemed that almost every person she called friend did, especially after what happened. Two months after her fifth birthday Dorian gave Orera the news: he’d been able to get everything back in Tevinter situated for his return. A home of his own waited him, and so did servants he was hiring; there house would have no slaves, Syrith made sure of that. His departure made Skyhold seem a bit gloomier, his constant sarcasm and wit gone from the library. Anaan missed him greatly, mostly because he would read the best stories to her. He did leave behind a number of novels and books in Tevene, including some on how to learn the language, Syrith having said it wouldn’t hurt for her to grow up knowing more than one.
After the Tevinters left Skyhold, Orera received a letter from Divine Victoria, one she hadn’t expected. Anaan sat on the couch in her quarters, books strewn about everywhere as she tried to read through them, even though she was still having a hard enough time with the childrens book. Orera glanced over to her daughter again from her desk before looking back to the letter, reading the contents. Divine Victoria was writing her about the incident that had happened a year ago now, saying she would like to cordially invite the Inquisitor and her family to Val Royeaux on a vacation of sorts. Orera hadn’t left her post since traveling up to the Free Marches, and she knew she could afford to leave for a couple weeks, things wouldn’t devolve when they knew what was going on. She began to write her response and that was that. Telling the rest of the council and Bull that she was going to Val Royeaux wouldn’t be the problem, convincing Anaan that she couldn’t bring all her books with her was.
They went by land, with a small detachment of soldiers at Cullen’s request. It took a little over two weeks to get to the capital of Orlais, but they didn’t want to tire themselves, and Orera had wanted to make sure each place they stayed the night was prepared and safe each day, slowing them down enough to have to find suitable places that fit her requirements.
The Grand Cathedral, in all its splendor, was almost too much for Anaan. She raced in front and behind her parents, around the soldiers who tried to insist that she stay in her place. She didn’t listen of course, and Orera told them it was fine; Anaan knew she needed to stay in sight of her parents, and that was all. They approached the audience chamber, as the priests guided them, and Orera took her daughter’s hand then, telling her that they were seeing the Divine and needed to be on their best behavior.
Inside the audience chamber the Sunburst throne stood in all its glory, shining in the afternoon sunlight. Divine Victoria sat there waiting for them, a smile on her face. Anaan hadn’t know Leliana before she became Divine, so she only knew she had been one of Orera’s advisers, and had never met her. To either side of the Divine stood a number of other clergymen, all of different races. A few Tal-Vashoth numbered among them, and she immediately spotted a former saarebas, their horns shaved down and scars around their mouth. It hurt to know how mages were treated under the Qun, but what the Chantry did now, accepting everyone, it almost made up for it. A number of dwarves stood along the lines next to the throne as well, though Orera only counted one elf.
“Inquisitor, its my pleasure to welcome you to the Grand Cathedral.” Victoria’s voice carried throughout the hall, and she rose as she spoke, holding her arms out to her side. Orera did the same, and was surprised when Victoria walked forward to hug her. What the Divine whispered in her ear next made her freeze. “I’ll meet you in your quarters later tonight. It’s vital.”
“Most Holy the pleasure is mine. Thank you for inviting me and my family. Its been years.” Victoria took a step back, the warm smile still on her face, giving no indication of what she’d just whispered to Orera.
“It has. Dinner will be served soon if you’ll join me in the dining chamber.” Victoria motioned towards a door on the far left of the room. Orera could practically smell the food baking within, but her feet hurt and she couldn’t imagine how tired Anaan was despite her rambunctiousness.
“I think I will have to decline the offer. We just made it to the capital today, and the little one is tired.” She smiled down to Anaan who promptly pouted.
“I’m not tired!” She stomped one foot and squeezed her mother’s hand, looking back towards the Divine.
“We could take dinner later in your chambers then. I’d love to catch up with you when you’re rested.” Victoria laughed and smiled down towards Anaan.
“That sounds wonderful. I guess I should introduce you towards the one putting our dinner off though. This is Anaan. Anaan, this is Divine Victoria. She worked with me before you were born.”
“You helped mommy?”
“I helped organize a number of different things for her, yes. It’s a pleasure to meet you Anaan.” As it was, Anaan already stood at Victoria’s abdomen, her horns already sprouting through the top of her head. There was no hiding the fact she would have four. Victoria held her hand out to Anaan, who looked at it before slowly putting out her own to shake it.
“She did more than she’s telling, she was a great help to the Inquisition. Irreplaceable.”
“Though I did hear you found a replacement.” Victoria smirked and Orera smiled, almost laughing.
“Yes, an old friend who I met before the conclave. Erethi Lavellan. She’s done a good job so far.”
“That is good to hear. Well, I hope you are able to relax, and we’ll tour the cathedral tomorrow.”
“Thank you for your hospitality, Your Perfection. I look forward to dining with you later.” Orera bowed her head and Anaan and Bull did the same next to her. The Tal-Vashoth hadn’t said anything yet, and she would ask why once they reached their rooms.
The cathedral was more maze like than she anticipated as they were guided towards the quarters they were to stay in for the next few days. The room they were given sat on the top floor of the western wing, overlooking the entire capital. Anaan went straight to the balcony and stared over the edge of the railing. Orera sighed as she watched her and then felt Bull’s hands on her waist.
“Kadan, what did she tell you?” Iron Bull kissed her shoulder and then the top of her head before moving to stand in front of her. Orera took his hands and shrugged.
“Just that she has something to tell me.”
“I could tell that as soon as I walked in the room. What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know, but apparently something she didn’t trust to put in a letter.”
“I guess we’ll find out then.” Bull kissed her, pressing his mouth hard against hers; she could feel the scars over his mouth and she raised her hands to cup his face. He smiled into another kiss before pulling away and walking over towards the balcony.
“You want to go higher, imekari?” Bull laughed as he raised Anaan into the air, placing her on his shoulders. She squealed and laughed and Orera looked on them with fondness. If only things could be that simple and beautiful all the time, then her life would be perfect.
Dinner rolled around as the sun began to set. The family was shown to a room adjacent to theirs that held a larger table. The food was set out in front of them, and Anaan sat between her parents, squirming in her chair and wanting to eat. They waited for Divine Victoria to enter though, which took only a few minutes after their food was paled in front of them. The Divine smiled and sat across from them, waving to let the servants know they could leave. Things didn’t turn serious until they were halfway through the meal and Anaan was starting to nod off, having eaten her own food too fast.
“Orera, I want you to know that I’ve been looking into what happened a year ago. I wanted to make sure my sources were correct and reliable before I gave you this information.”
“What information?” Orera wiped her mouth with a napkin, placing her utensils down as Victoria spoke.
“I know who kidnapped Anaan, and who hired him.” Orera could barely breathe as she listened to Divine Victoria. She took a gulp of water and blinked a few times before responding.
“Who?”
“It’s the same man who murdered your parents and your daughter.”
“What? How do you know this?” Sweat began to bead from her brow and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. She looked over to Anaan, who seemed oblivious to what they were talking about.
“I was able to convince someone to tell me. You wont’ like what you hear though. It’s a Tal-Vashoth hunter. He hires specifically to hunt those he deems dangerous, and has their entire family killed. This one was hired to kill your parents once they left the Qun. They weren't dangerous enough for the Ben-Hassrath it seemed, but enough for someone else to want to get rid of them.” Divine Victoria took a sip from her wine and placed wiped her mouth with her napkin, emotions draining from her face.
“But why? They weren’t dangerous! My father was an herbalist and my mother was a seamstress. They weren’t anyone important!” It didn’t make sense. They hadn’t been anybody. Even when they had lived in the Qun, at least from the stories her parents had told her, they hadn’t been important. They’d been workers and nothing more.
“The Ben-Hassrath don’t just go after every Tal-Vashoth, they would never do anything else otherwise. They just go after the ones doing damage like the ones in Seheron.” Bull leaned back in his chair, hands rested on his knees. Orera bit her lip. This felt all wrong. Why would people have gone after her parents?
“Your father was Kanan Adaar, yes? I was able to get more information on him, and when he left the Qun. His wife, Asaara, helped him escape. He was a saarebas, Orera. He was a mage.” Divine Victoria didn’t move from then, and she kept silent, letting Orera take in the information.
Orera remembered her father, she remembered him being kind and gentle, and she never remembered him ever using magic. She’d learned on her own to use hers, and later on by practicing with other mages, but he’d never even given a hint that he had magic. But thinking back to how his horns had been shaved down completely, it made sense. There had been no scars around his mouth, she guessed from careful healing and time. It made more sense for her and her brother to be mages with their father being one, but why would he have kept that from them? He could have taught them to use their magic, he could have lived and helped protect their family.
“I…. I didn’t know.”
“The man who hired those to kill your family watches the borders carefully for Tal-Vashoth. I’ve been told by numerous people that he mostly hunts the runaway mages and their families, to keep Qunari mages away. Qunari are bad, and Qunari mages, in his eyes are the worst. He wasn’t able to get to you, but your family I guess is the target he won’t let go.”
“It’s been years though, why wouldn’t he just give up?”
“He most likely will now. I got more word that Anaan was the last on his list, your family was the last on his list, though I don’t know why. His dealings aren’t in the shadows anymore. His name is Valentin Mercier, and he’s a merchant that deals in cloth now. He resides just a day out of Montfort.”
“What am I supposed to-” Orera paused and took a breath. She looked down to Anaan, who now slept on the arm rest of her chair. She swallowed and looked back to Victoria. “Thank you for the information. Would I be able to request that we stay here a few extra days?”
“Of course. You’re always welcome here, Inquisitor. I must go see to my people now. I hope to speak with you later.” Divine Victoria, not even having finished her meal, rose from the table and bowed her head. Orera and Bull rose as well, and Orera bowed as deep as she could not raising until she knew the Divine was gone. She lifted Anaan from her chair and carried her back to their chambers, Bull right behind her.
“Whaddya’ going to do, boss?”
“I’m going to Montfort. You’re going to stay here to watch Anaan. The people are going to be told that the Inquisitor caught a cold and is simply exhausted and resting a few days in the Grand Cathedral. We can’t both go to him, and he hurt my family.” Orera placed Anaan down on the huge bed, sighing as she did. The Vashoth had no clue what was taking place, and what her mother went through, and Orera never wanted her to know. Bull placed his hand on her shoulder, and turned he to face him.
“You sure you don’t want me to go instead?”
“No. I need to do this.” There was no wavering in this decision, she felt as though if anyone else were to go things wouldn’t turn out how they were supposed to. At least how she thought they needed to. Bull eyed he for a second before nodding and stepping closer, taking her hands in his.
“Alright. Well, if you’re going to leave tonight, wait until the religious guys start their night Chant. I won’t take my eye off her.”
“Thank you, Bull.” Orera bit her lip and shuddered, looking to Anaan before feeling Bull’s hand on her chin, moving her head to look to him.
“No problem, kadan.”
“I love you.” She could feel the sting in her eye, and the tear slowly rolling down her cheek. Bull smiled and kissed her, moving and wrapping his arms around her before mumbling into her mouth.
“I love you, too.”
It didn’t take much for Orera to get enough supplies to last her at least a week. She was able to slip into the kitchen, and after inquiring about the supplies should would be able to get for the trip back to Skyhold, was able to get enough packed in a small bag for herself. She left just before midnight, kissing her sleeping child on the head and assuring Bull that she would be fine on her own. Though that assurance was more for herself than for him, he had faith in her.
Val Royeaux was easy to walk through with a change of clothes. She’d put on simple Chantry robes that only denoted her as sister, and kept in her bag a separate set of clothes to change in after she left the city. Her skin under her clothes was painted from shoulders to toes, not wanting to have vitaar on her face scare away anyone and have them talking about her. But as soon as she left the city limits and she could no longer see the dim light emanating from the place, she changed into her other clothes and painted her face with the poison. She would take no chances with this man.
Montfort was about a four day walk from Val Royeaux, and since Orera hadn’t wanted to draw attention by using a horse, she walked by herself for the same length. A number of villages dotted the Imperial highway, and most of them didn’t bat an eye at her. She just a savage Qunari to them, nothing more. Though if they knew she was the Inquisitor most would bow in fear; she didn’t know if she liked that thought or not, and either way it didn’t matter.
Orera left little time for herself to sleep. Taking only the few hours before and after midnight, walking through twilight and dawn into the next villages. It took her three and a half days in total to get to Montfort, and took her the rest of the third day to find out exactly where Valentin Mercier lived.
A quaint house sat on a small piece of property, surrounded by hedges with a garden just inside, beautifully taken care of. When Orera had first approached it an elf had been trimming the hedges. She inquired as to whether or not this was the home of Messere Mercier, and the elf didn’t hesitate to say yes and continue on with their work. The only thing Orera had to do now was wait until nightfall, when she knew the man would be home. In the mean time, she could go and rest somewhere hidden.
A tree supplied such a place for her, leaning against it facing inwards towards the grove. It was just outside the town, closest to the house where the man lived. She didn’t pay attention to anything else going on around her, just the people going in and out of the garden that she could see from her tree. The man himself didn’t seem to return to the house until late into the night, just after the sun had set. His hair was graying, and he wore glasses that sank to the tip of his nose. His clothes gave away that he was no commoner, but that didn’t matter. As soon the night was dark enough, and she knew the inhabitants of the house to be asleep, she went for the kitchen door.
Getting over the hedges that surrounded the house wasn’t hard, she merely climbed one of the nearby trees and jumped over, crouching low afterward and keeping there. No guards were patrolling, this man didn’t expect to be hit at all; he probably saw himself invincible, his ploy perfect and keeping him hidden. He couldn’t be more wrong. Orera crept towards the kitchen door, lights from the window showing that the fire was dying within the fireplace, still keeping the place warm for whoever kept watch over the food.
The door opened easily, no lock having been deployed, and she entered to find a maid sleeping on a stool, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Food was already set out for the next morning, something the cook was probably meant to be preparing then, but wasn’t. Orera skipped over this and entered into the dining room. Windows adorned the entire room, letting in the moonlight and casting shadows every way, leaving the dark wood floor even darker, almost as if covered in ink save a few spots right next to the windows themselves. The table was already set for six people, though Orera felt more that was because the table was that big, not because of how many people actually ate at it.
The first floor held only rooms meant for entertaining. A study was filled with close to empty bookshelves, dust visible on most of the books that were there. It clearly didn’t see use. A parlor seemed to hold the books the study didn’t, piled in different places and on top of couches and chairs. Orera picked one up and turned it over in her hand. It was a childrens book. She placed it back down, not thinking on it as she searched for the stairs that led to the second floor of the manor.
The railing that led up the stairs shone in the moonlight from the windows. She kept from touching it, and she gripped the dagger she brought. Orera hadn’t wanted to bring her staff, that would give her away as a mage, it could have given her away as the Inquisitor, so she went without. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t use her magic without it, she just didn’t want magic to be connected to the murder of a random merchant. She took the dagger out of it’s hilt, and after making sure it felt comfortable in her hand, she stepped onto the second floor, looking down the hall to count the amount of doors. There were four doors. One was bound to be a bathroom, which meant three were bedrooms; who inhabited them all she didn’t know or care.
Orera neared the closest door to the stairs and placed her hand on the doorknob, taking in a breath before turning it slowly and pushing the wooden door in. The bathroom stood before her, a large claw-footed porcelain tub sat on one side and a wash basin on the other. It was nicer than she expected, but she didn’t linger on it, instead stepping out of the room and closing the door. That was when she heard one of the other doors behind her open. She froze and closed her eyes before turning to see a child standing before her in a nightgown, a blanket hanging from her hand.
“Daddy?” The child wiped its eyes, not yet seeing Orera before her. She took a step back, hiding the dagger behind her before the child could see it. Eventually the girl blinked and noticed that Orera was not in fact her father, confusion slowly painting her face. “Who are you?”
What was she to say? She couldn’t tell the child who she really was, and she definitely couldn’t bring herself to kill the child as well as her father. There was no possible way in which she could do that. She’d come here to kill her father and-
What Divine Victoria came back to her now. The man, Valentin, he’d stopped his operations in the last decade, her family being the last he’d gotten hired for. There had a to be a reason he stopped going after Tal-Vashoth he seemed dangerous, and Orera was certain that the reason stood right before her. He must have known that when he killed her parents, or had someone else kill her parents, that they hadn’t gotten to her. They’d left her an orphan, alone in the world. Maybe that was the reason he’d stopped. He’d had children of his own, he’d started his own family and began to see what he was doing, and how it hurt and destroyed those close to those he killed. But if that was why he stopped, then why had he taken Anaan? Anaan, who was close to the same age as his own daughter, who was the only thing she had now that could possibly harm her emotionally. How?
“I’m a friend of your fathers. I came here to see him, and I guess he’s asleep. I can’t stay long though.”
“Why not? Daddy’s just sleepin’.” The girl began to walk towards the door on the other side of Orera. She quickly knelt to be on eye level with the child, and after deftly sheathing the dagger, she placed her hand on the child’s shoulder.
“I have to get back to my family. Could you tell him something for me, though? Tell him that the Inquisitor wishes him well, and he needn’t worry any longer.” Tears began to form in the corner of Orera’s eyes, and she smiled through them towards the little girl, who only blinked lazily at the prompting.
“Okay. Could you tuck me back in bed?” The question, so innocent, was impossible for Orera to refuse. She nodded her head, and when the little girl took her hand and lead her into the bedroom, she couldn’t stop the tears. The girl pushed herself back under her covers, and Orera tucked her in, running her hand over her hair.
“Goodnight. Remember to tell your father what I said.”
“ Goodnight,” the girls’ voice was so soft Orera barely heard it. She swallowed and left the room, closing the door behind her before looking back down the hallway, towards where she now knew Valentin Mercier slept. She couldn’t bring herself to do it; she didn’t know how she’d ever thought she could do it. Orera left the house the way she came in, but stopped in the study, pulling out a pen and paper, and quickly wrote a note to Valentin. Hopefully he would see it in the morning. Then with that, she left, headed back to Val Royeaux, and to her family.