Dragon Age Inquisition: The Legacy of Dorian Pavus

5: Felix Alexius

Herald of Andraste

I watched Dorian with what I thought must be unrestrained interest after I closed the rift. His northern accent, his dark, handsome features and his chiselled physique had me riveted to his every movement and gesture.

After what had happened with Cullen, I'd spent time in front of a mirror practicing keeping my face neutral. I didn't want to alert anyone to my personal interests. Too many who were watching were already eager to find fault or see me fail. I couldn't afford to have anyone questioning my judgment at this early stage.

We'd come to Redcliff on the invitation of First Enchanter Fiona. She'd approached us as we had left Val Royeaux on a wasted trip to speak to the Chantry there. Prior to this, we had traipsed all over the Hinterlands, the Storm Coast and a horrible place called the Fallow Mire.

The last was aptly named for it had looked as bad as it sounded. It rained and stormed the entire time we were there. The water stank of dead things. Everything wet and rotting, with most of the buildings destroyed. Whoever had once lived there were now long dead since we found evidence of a plague.

The only living things there was a group of rebel Avaar who wanted me dead. It had been a tough battle, but we'd killed the leader and his followers and freed our captive soldiers.

On the Storm Coast we set up a presence there and by challenging the leader, I had recruited a band of Hessarians to our cause. Despite it raining constantly, it was still a better place than the Mire. At least the sun had been out, unlike the Mire where it had been so dark I wasn't sure the sun still existed.

After speaking to Fiona in the Gull and Lantern in Redcliff, Varric and I were instantly suspicious. She had no memory of speaking to me in Val Royeaux and had forged an alliance with a Tevinter Magister. I was so shocked, I couldn't think what to say.

King Alistair would be furious when he heard about it and quite possibly start a war. The Arl had been kicked out of the castle by this magister and given he was also the King's uncle, nothing good would come of this. It was at that moment when the magister himself arrived, dressed in the most ridiculous hooded garment I had ever seen.

I bristled at his appearance and felt my skin crawl as his smooth, placating words washed over me. As I joined him at his table I wondered idly if my reaction was some form of magic he was using. A second, younger man appeared then who Alexius introduced as his son, Felix.

Felix didn't look well to me, but he caught my eye as he crossed the room, feigning a stumble as I rose to catch him. Alexius was at his son's side in an instant, taking him from me and insisting we would have to speak later. As soon as they left, I looked at the note Felix had pressed into my hand.

"You are in danger." I read aloud to my companions.

Varric snorted. "You think?"

I frowned at him. "Come on. We're supposed to meet him in the Chantry."

"Odd." Cassandra grumbled. "That he would choose the Chantry to meet."

"Makes sense to me." Solas countered. "It would be the last place anyone would look for someone from the Imperium."

"I... suppose." Cassandra conceded.

Yet Felix wasn't there when we arrived. Instead a dark-haired and very attractive mage was fighting darkspawn alone under a rift that had formed within the walls of the Chantry itself.

After we dealt with the demons and I had closed the rift, I kept my reaction to him as neutral as possible, smiling only when he countered my witty remark to Felix with his own regarding a fruit basket. It seemed ridiculous to me but after Dorian left, the Chantry felt empty, as though the sun had gone from the world. You're being stupid, I told myself as I led the others from the building.