Breaking the Divide (remastered) - Cullen Rutherford

Chapter 3: Making a Difference

Cullen—

Sometimes, I believe the Maker is testing me. The rebels throughout the Hinterlands refuse to see reason. Both templar and mage attack us on sight, many of them destroying civilian homes without a second thought. There is such a factual finality to the fighting that I don't know if we'll ever be able to convince them to stop.

It wouldn't be so terrible is Solas didn't insist on searching out elven artifacts while Varric makes constant jokes at my expense.

As for the Herald, she's proven to be skilled with healing and barriers. While useful, she continues to flounder even with the most basic moves of fighting, preferring to focus on defense. She retreats unnecessarily when encountering rifts or rebels. The first time she had to fight a fellow mage, she was sick afterwards and did not speak again until the next day after some coaxing from Varric. I believe she will improve with training but I find myself wishing she had more of a military background; there is too much to teach her and not enough time.

When we approached Redcliffe at her insistence, the mages kept their doors shut, claiming that no one was allowed to approach. You may have been right about reaching out to the templars instead. Hopefully, the Order will put the priority of the Breach above themselves.

We will be on the road before this arrives.

Maker be with you.

Cassandra

Cullen glanced from Cassandra's letter to the missive Leliana had given him—it was a list of incoming supplies several pages long—to the scout standing several paces away. "Bear pelts?"

"Yes, ser," the scout said. "A whole stack of them."

Cullen looked back at Leliana's report. Elfroot, iron, logging sites, recruits enough for a battalion, a promise of horses, and dozens of bear pelts.

"Are there any of the poor creatures left in the Hinterlands?" Cullen asked.

The man chuckled as he took back the report. "The Herald is using the meat and skins to help the refugees. Mother Giselle feared that they wouldn't make it through the winter without help, but the Lady Herald is bringing in supplies by the crate. Even got the cult up in the mountains to lend food and aid."

Cullen smiled to himself. When Kaitlyn and the others had departed, he'd expected her to return a few days later with Mother Giselle close behind, eager to press on and be free of the Inquisition she'd been coerced into. But this. Tending the sick, gathering food, arranging for safe passage, clearing out the rogue elements— "How are the people responding to her?"

"Better now. They were nervous at first, thought she was part of the rebels attacking everyone. Now, I don't think they'll ever stop talking about her."

"Yes," Leliana said, coming up behind the scout before dismissing him. "It's all very heartwarming."

"You disapprove?" Cullen asked.

"We have Mother Giselle en route from the camp. Things have been calmed; we should be focusing on the next task, not wasting time hunting down every bear wandering the mountains."

"You could ask Cassandra to prod her along."

Leliana pursed her lips as she glared down at the war table. "Cassandra is... encouraging the behavior. She says it's helping the Herald get used to fighting in a group." The spymaster waved her hand as though she thought it ridiculous. Staring at the map, she picked up three of Cullen's markers and placed them in varying locations.

"For Master Dennet," she explained. Cullen frowned as Josephine joined them, leaning over the board in her arms until her nose hovered mere inches from the surface.