The Enchanter and The Lion

Chapter 11 - Crossroads

Her muscles were sorer than they'd ever been. She hadn't ridden a horse since she was taken to the Circle almost twenty years ago. Now, she had been on one daily for the last four days while they rode south from Haven, skirting the Frostback mountains, then east into the rolling hills of the Hinterlands, and then back north to the Crossroads, which linked the roads leading north to the village of Redcliffe on the southern tip of Lake Calenhad and those leading further east into the Hinterlands and central Ferelden. When they finally reached the Inquisition camp and she slid from the mare's back she could've cried with joy to have her feet back on the ground.

"Not that I don't appreciate you, Kizi," she said to the mare as she rubbed her forehead. Kizi snorted and leaned her head into Maeve's hand to enjoy the attention. A soldier stepped up to take care of her and she thanked him. 

She joined Cassandra, Varric, and Solas in front of a dwarven scout. 

"Herald," she saluted crisply. "Inquisition Scout Harding, at your service."  

She tried not to flinch at the use of the title. Harding filled them in on what their agents had been able to glean of the area - mages and Templars at each other's throats and not caring who got caught in the middle, refugees without food, shelter or clothing, and rifts spewing out demons all over the place. 

Maeve looked at Cassandra, "I say we make our way to and help secure the Crossroads, talk to Mother Giselle, and then get out there to close rifts and stabilize the area." 

She nodded agreement. 

They moved out down the hill and quickly came upon Inquisition forces trying to hold back both mages and Templars from pushing further toward the refugees trying to retreat to the Crossroads. Maeve rushed forward and threw a barrier over a man shielding a small child with his body before a Templar's blade came down on him. She stepped in front of them to engage the knight. "Go, run! The Inquisition holds the Crossroads and will protect you." She couldn't look to see if they listened to her. 

The knight had expected her to open with magic, so wasn't prepared when she started the fight by bringing her staff to bear against his sword. She danced forward, thrusting and swiping, trying to get inside his guard. The staff gave her better reach, but his parries were good. 

Not good enough, she thought grimly, as she finally knocked his blade wide, used the momentum of that spin to close the distance between them and bury the dagger she had quickly drawn from the back of her belt into his neck. His blood gushed warm over her hand and she felt it splash against her face. She fought the urge to vomit as she pulled the dagger back out and quickly wiped it on her pants before re-sheathing it. 

She surveyed the field and got a barrier up over two Inquisition archers before the mages they were facing got their flashfire spells off. She threw chain lightning at them and let the archers finish them off, as she moved on to shield Cassandra from the Templar archers trying to shoot her while she engaged another knight. She threw an energy barrage at the one and a bolt at the other, as Solas unleashed immolate on them. Varric had come to Cassandra's aid in dealing with the knight and Maeve watched him fall. 

That quickly it was over. The Inquisition soldiers gathered around them and saluted her. "Herald," said one, "I'm Corporal Vale, leader of our forces here. Perfect timing," he smiled broadly. 

"Corporal," she nodded greeting. "We need to get to Mother Giselle." He nodded and led them through the trees to the Crossroads proper. 

The sight that greeted her was heartbreaking. Everyone with fear and desperation in their eyes, children crying, and the injured and dying moaning on the ground. She asked Solas to join the healers in helping the injured while she spoke to the woman Corporal Vale pointed out to her as Mother Giselle.

Maeve approached her and they spoke of those behind the Chantry's denouncement. Mother Giselle counseled her to go to them in Val Royeaux and show them that she was not to be feared. 

"I'm a mage, Mother, they will fear me for that fact alone no matter what I say," she hung her head. 

"You do not need to convince all of them. You just need some to doubt." 

They ended the conversation with Mother Giselle agreeing to travel back to Haven to provide Leliana the names needed and help bring the clerics together for Maeve to meet them when she was done here. 

Her parting words hung in Maeve's mind. "Hope is what the people need. They will listen to your rallying call. You could turn the Inquisition into a force that will deliver us...or destroy us." 

No pressure, she closed her eyes wearily, but when they opened, there was nothing but determined fire. 

I will close the Breach. My magic will serve Thedas.