Chapter Text
The elf named Mira stood at the table. Her hands rested on the table as she overlooked the map. Her red hair was pulled into a bun near her right ear and she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. She shifted her body and looked at Cullen as he walked in. She let raised her lips into a tight smile, clearly displaying her nerves. Cullen returned it with a slight nod of his head.
Cullen moved across the table to be facing across from her. He set down the documents in his hands and turned his head down but looked at her through his eyelashes. She had grabbed a marker for the table from the side and was turning it around in her hand, rubbing the top with her thumb. The shirt she had on had on was wrinkled and had a rip on the shoulder with bloodstains. Her pants had demon ichor in two lines across her pants, clinging from what Cullen assumed was cleaning her blades.
Cassandra walked with determination as she strolled passed Cullen and Mira into the room, her normal ware of arrogance surrounding her, with Josephine and Leliana close on her heels. Cassandra took up her post and Mira set down the piece.
“Mira I am glad to see you are awake.” Casandra said.
“Your concern about the fear that the mark I was forced to continue to use to the brink of death is appreciated.” Mira spoke kindly.
Cullen averted his eyes as he thought to the moments before the breach had stopped expanding. Mira with Cassandra had battled their way to the front. As he saw her move it had been hard to believe she had been locked up as their prisoner moments prior. Still Mira had fought along side them, putting her faith in them. She had moved with speed and was adept with her blades. It was when they made it to the breach Solas had told her to hold her hand up. Cullen had not been present but he could hear the screams from further down, and the reports he read later gave a gruesome account. Solas and Cassandra continued to hold Mira’s arm. The pain had become overwhelming and it enveloped them. Mira screamed as she attempted to remove her arm but Cassandra kept her in place. Finally the screams abated and Mira’s body hung limp. They carried her back down, and paced her into a room where she hadn’t stirred for 3 days. It was clear to Cullen that Mira was furious at what had occurred.
“Commander Cullen, Leader of the Inquisitions Forces” Cassandra said motioning to the single male in the room, clearly ignoring the terse response from Mira. She swept her hand across to the clearly Antivian woman. “Lady Josephine, our ambassador.”
“Andaran Atish’an” Lady Josephine said with a sly smile.
“You speak Elven?” Mira’s voice had clear enthusiasm in it.
“I’m afraid you have heard the entirety of it.” Josephine responded softly. Mira made a face of frustration. Many nobles learned a phrase or two of Elven to show they were more of the people, something that clearly bothered Mira as much as it did Cullen.
“And you have already met Sister Leliana, our spymaster.” Cassandra continued ignoring the temperature of the room. Mira shifted her weight and lifted her ankle up and began to roll it in the air.
“We need support.” Cassandra stated. “We lost support from the chantry members located here in Haven but we can still gain support in the Chantry.”
“What are you thinking?” Josephine asked.
“Mother Giselle is located out in the Hinterlands. We need to send the Herald of Andraste there to discuss the inquisition and show our intentions are to close the breach.”
“Herald of Andraste?” Mira asked focusing her gaze on Cassandra.
“You.” Cassandra said not looking up from the map as she was making marks to determine the time required for travel.
“People are desperate for hope and they heard of what you did to stop the breach from growing. They have heard of the lady seen in the light and believe it to be Andraste. People believe you are the hope they need sent from the Maker.” Josephine explained as she began to write on her own board. Mira looked down at her marked hand and began to subconsciously rub it with her other hand.
“It’s not true,” Everyone looked up at Mira although her eyes were still cast down to her marked hand. “I don’t want to deceive people, or give them false hope. I am just an elf, and I don’t know what happened.”
“Whether or not you believe it, it is what people need.” Leliana responded. “Travel down to the hinterlands and speak with Mother Giselle. Get her support, we do need it.”
“Alright.” Mira looked up and saw Cullen staring at her. Their eyes met and the held each other’s gaze for a moment before Cullen looked away. His hand went to the back of his neck as he reached for a stack of papers. “Hinterlands it is. I’ll leave first thing in the morning.”