The Enchanter and The Lion

Chapter 21 - Confrontation

Maeve led Kizi out of the stable to join the rest of the party leaving for Redcliffe. Leliana, Dorian, and their group would part with them at the Crossroads to take a more covert path to the secret entrance. Cullen was also sending Rylen's squad with them to be reinforcements at the Crossroads in case they could be of any assistance. All told there would be about three dozen of them setting out from Haven.

She was busy adjusting her saddle packs and checking her supplies, so she didn't hear Cullen approach from behind until he spoke her name. She turned to find him with his jaw clenched, hands behind his back and a difficult to read expression on his face. 

"I know you're mad at me about this, Cullen, but I won't change my mind," she said adjusting the last strap on the saddle. 

"I'm not mad, Maeve, just...worried. And I know you won't." He sighed before continuing. "If I've learned anything, it's that you have a singularly hard head on those lovely shoulders." 

Maeve caught her breath and felt her cheeks flush. Did he just call her lovely? 

"But," Cullen pressed on as if he hadn't noticed, "just in case it is made of softer stuff, I took the liberty of having Herritt craft this."

He brought his hands out from behind his back where a magnificent helm was clasped. It was made of veridium to match the vambrace and the rest of her metal armor pieces. The pale green glimmer of the metal was almost the same color as the mark. The helm was fitted to the skull, but flared slightly from the ears down to cover most of the sides of the neck from injury. A nose bridge extended down and the flared sides wrapped around to cover the cheeks, leaving only the eyes and mouth exposed in a "T" shape at the front. Arcing along the sides Herritt had etched lightning bolts in delicate, life-like patterns. The lines glowed slightly as Maeve turned the helm in her hands and she saw the subtle marks of runes in the etchings. "It's runed." she breathed in awe. Cullen nodded and smiled slightly at her. 

"Thank you," she said, placing the helm over her head.

"You look like a Battlemage," he commented, using the more archaic term for a Knight Enchanter. Someone had wisely realized that being called the former made the mage sound aggressive and therefore people nervous while the latter was more reassuring, but the terminology was still intermingled. 

She laughed, "I'm no Knight Enchanter, at least not yet." Cullen raised an eyebrow in question. "I've been reading up a little, but I've yet to be able to summon a spirit blade." 

"I've heard it's a difficult discipline to master, but I'm sure you will."

Cassandra called for the party to move out.  She smiled at him and swung into Kizi's saddle. She started to turn the mare and walk off when he called her name again. She reigned Kizi in and turned in the saddle to look back at him. 

"Come back safe," he said. 

Her eyes sparkled as she teased, "Is that an order, Commander?" 

He smirked and flirted back, "Damn right it is." 

"Yes, Ser," she said as she winked at him and rode away. 

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Maeve walked into Redcliffe castle with Cassandra, Bull, and Varric behind her. They were met just outside the throne room by several Venatori and a man that appeared to be acting as seneschal. "Tell Magister Alexius the Herald of Andraste has arrived," she said, removing her helm and tucking it beneath her arm. 

"The Magister's invitation was for Lady Trevelyan and no one else. Your companions will have to wait here," the seneschal said. 

"Then Lady Trevelyan waits here," Maeve said calmly. You want to test my stubbornness, asshole, be my guest, she thought.