The Enchanter and The Lion

Chapter 33 - Checkmate

It took them just over a week to secure Crestwood against undead and demons and close the rift. Oh, and there was also the high dragon they killed yesterday. Bull and Sera were inordinately excited about that, but Maeve was just plumb exhausted. Still, the people of Crestwood were safe, the Inquisition had a new fortress to maintain their presence more securely in the area, and those would garner both trade and information for them. 

She knew she should be happy and proud of what they accomplished, but the nightmares were starting to encroach again. The cracked, red and burning eyes of the corrupted Templars surrounded her, demons possessed her and tore her apart, and the broken, dead bodies of her friends lay all around. She knew it was because of the conversation with Stroud. They had to stop the Wardens, and soon. 

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It was late afternoon several days later when they finally arrived back at Skyhold. Maeve handed Kizi off to the stable hands and made immediately for the council room to check in. 

She passed through Josephine's office to get there and found her sitting at her desk. "Inquisitor," she smiled brightly, "welcome home." 

She returned the smile, "Thank you, Josie. It's good to be...home." She paused realizing that it was true. In just a few short weeks Skyhold had become home for her despite the fact that she hadn't spent much time in it. Perhaps it had to do with her friends being here.

"I've made some inquiries into the Imperial Court. The sooner we can deal with the threat to Empress Celene, the better. But the political situation is dangerously unstable thanks to the civil war with her cousin, Grand Duke Gaspard. It will complicate matters," Josephine said, standing and meeting her on the other side of the desk. 

"Everything in the Empire complicates matters," Cullen said coming through the door behind them, with Leliana beside him, "It's the Orlesian national pastime." They exchanged brief smiles and she felt butterflies in her stomach.

"Turn your nose up at the grand game all you like, Commander, but we play for the highest stakes, and to the death," Leliana said. Leave it to the spymaster to be excited about court intrigues and political machinations.

"The fact is, Orlais holds Tevinter at bay. All of Thedas could be lost if the Empire falls to Corypheus," Josephine said soberly. "Celene is holding peace talks under the auspices of a grand masquerade in several months' time. It would be the perfect place for an assassin to hide."

"Which means we need to be there," Leliana asserted. 

"And here I am with nothing to wear," Maeve joked. 

"Well, we don't have enough sway with the court to arrange an invitation, yet, so you'll have time to go shopping," Josephine replied with a grin, "As long as you promise to take me with you."

"Done," she said. "And while you were dealing with that part of the nasty future I saw, I got a lead on the demon army part," she continued, leading the way down the corridor to the council room where she filled them all in on what Stroud had told her. 

"It's at least a two-week journey," Cullen said, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice at the prospect of another long separation from her. "And you can't take the more direct route through the plains because of the war."

"I was thinking it's about a week to Val Royeaux and we can resupply there before journeying the rest of the way," she said, indicating a more circuitous route northwest on the map, and he nodded in agreement. 

"I'll need a day or so to rest, but then we'll head out. The sooner we deal with the Wardens the better."

"I'd like to send Rylen and his company with you, but they likely won't be ready to move that quickly," he said.