Potestas Exoletus

Celestine and Leliana rushed into the tent, expecting the worst, a nebulous aura of magic already manifesting around Celestine's hands. The sight that greeted them behind the canvas entrance-flap surprised both women: Elisa was lying on the bedroll they had prepared for her, while Erik was half-crouching, half-sitting at her side. He was rubbing his jaw, while Elisa rubbed her hand, breathing slightly heavier than usual.

The Cousland twins looked at the new arrivals, Erik's jaw clenched with some pent-up emotion, while Elisa huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face, managing to look very sulky even in her lying position.

"'scuse me," the young man said gruffly before squeezing past Celestine. Leliana looked questioningly from his retreating back to Elisa, who shrugged. The red-headed rogue then sent a questioning look towards Celestine, who rolled her eyes and nodded.

Once Leliana had also ducked out of the tent, Celestine crawled in and tried to find a comfortable position to sit in at the foot of Elisa's bedroll.

"So…" she started, giving the rogue a questioning glance.

"Don't mind him. He's just getting a bit worked up about this whole affair, as if I were about to just wake up to fall on my blade simply because we're reminded of how mortality actually works."

"Ah," Celestine responded' it was the only thing she could think of saying. There had always been precious few people she cared about in her life, even fewer that may have cared for her in return. It was true, what Elisa said. Even after Ostagar, she had never really considered her own mortality, and especially not that of her new friends, who seemed as steadfast as any rocks. All this time the only thing that had truly concerned her had been the Fade's effect on her. She had never had any siblings that she knew of; the closest blood she could call on was the Hawkes' and that relationship was still in its infancy. Elisa and Erik however had been together since before their birth. They were bonded to one another in a manner that went beyond anything Celestine could relate to.

"So, how is my patient doing physically, frustrated kin aside?" Celestine eventually thought to ask.

"Void, you'd never think what happened had. I feel great. I'm pretty sure I could even stand. Tina, I swear you must be like the hand of the Maker - to pluck me from the jaws of death like that."

The Circle mage could feel her ears turn red with the compliment. "Yes, well...don't go jumping into those jaws again any time soon." Her demeanour turned serious, "I'm not sure how I managed to do what I did. I can't even truly remember half of it. Part of me believes that because I didn't screw up anything, the hand of the Maker truly was at work."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Tina."

There was a short pause, where neither woman said anything. Celestine broke it by addressing the rogue again, "Elisa, I…." After receiving an encouraging nod from the blonde, she continued, "While working to return sense to your legs I...saw things."

The rogue grinned, "What kind of things? Rory Gilmore trying on one of my dresses?"

"What? No! Wait, who's Rory Gilmore?"

The smile slipped off Elisa's face, "A brave man I once knew."

"Ah." There it was again, that broken feeling. The past hour seemed to have Celestine stumbling from one to another. Part of her thought Fate was playing some cruel trick on her. She bulldozed onward regardless, "No, at least I think not. When I healed you - I saw things, memories, thoughts, ideas. It was as if it was part of the Fade but...your own personal corner of it. A section dedicated entirely to who and what you are. Some of those things were wonderful, joyful, some the boring trudge of everyday life, others.… I - you are a strong woman Elisa."

Elisa's face had taken on an unreadable expression. "Oh."

"I'm sorry, those were all very private experiences. I promise, I swear, I'll never tell anyone anything I saw, unless you ask for me to."

The rogue waved weakly at the mage, "No, no. No need to feel remorse. After all, you saved my life, although I find myself wanting to apologise as well, that you had to witness those things...experience them...it is an unfair repayment for what you have done for me - my brother."

Celestine simply nodded to that, there was nothing more that could or should be said. All that she knew was that there were depths to Elisa that the rogue took great pains to conceal and the mage respected her all the more for it.

"Now, even if you may feel like you're up for more, I must insist that you say in bed for at least a day more. I need to be certain that you can function as well as previously before we set out again," Celestine commanded with mock sternness.

Elisa chuckled, playing along as she saluted mockingly, "Yes Madame."

So despite the serious matters that still hung about the two like a pall, Celestine managed to climb out of the tent with a smile adorning her lips. She was just in time to see that the sun had risen enough for her to identify Alistair walking back into the fortress through the gates, head down in thought. The appearance of the young man raised the young mage's spirits even more, the subdued demeanour piquing her curiosity though. She caught his eye as they both made their way to the campfire, but he did not hold her gaze, causing her to replace curiosity with concern as the companions that were not bedridden congregated around the pot of porridge that had been prepared by Sten.

Breakfast was a muted affair, with the reality of why they were where they were returning once more, now that Elisa's life was no longer balanced on a knife's edge. Celestine wanted to speak with Alistair, since he had grown up there and all of the problems had to have been affecting him in some way. But, contrary to his normal manner, and as attested to by the avoided eye-contact, he seemed to exude an aura of unapproachability. That was something that the Warden mage was more familiar with in connection to Morrigan, as opposed to the usually awkward and cheerful young man.

Celestine came to the decision that she would rather tackle the issue with Alistair when there was no longer the threat of imminent attack by undead hordes looming over them. So, she called together the party in preparation for heading into the castle, the mask of command that had been developing over the past month falling into place easily, burying any personal issues. "Erik, I want you to stay with your sister. Make sure she doesn't get out of bed for at least today. I'll try and re-evaluate her after all of this is dealt with. She's lost a lot of blood, so until she regains that, she'll probably be sleeping a lot. As for the rest of you, I want everyone to come with us - we have no idea what we're headed into. But since Redcliffe isn't an ancient Tevinter ruin, rather a habitated home, we can expect this was the work of either another blood mage, or in the worst-case scenario, a demon - although the two aren't that far different from one another."

Pausing for breath, the young mage turned to her fellow caster. "Morrigan, I hope you've had more experience with this kind of thing. I only know how to dispel effects after they've been cast, and that doesn't help if we're trying to prevent a glamour or something similar from affecting us."

The Wilder Witch nodded in response as Celestine shifted her attention to Sten and Leliana. "That said, if we come across anyone who is under a glamour, or any of us ends up under one, I need you two to deal with those afflicted in a non-lethal manner; both blood mages and demons bring out the worst in people and we don't accidentally want to kill someone we need." Leliana inclined her head, just as Sten made no visible sign of affirmation, but Celestine had gotten used to his demeanour by that point and did not spare it a second thought.

"Alastair." The former templar looked at her, his eyes piercing. It was a meaningless, empty look and the Amell mage found herself returning it. There was no expression in the exchange, but something flipped inside her as she felt she could almost see his soul - her mask slipping. Never had she seen him so serious before, not even in his grief for Duncan. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she broke her gaze away, struggling to regain the lost composure. "I need you to keep an eye out for any magic and nullify it; even if Morrigan and I end up getting caught in the backlash, we can't afford to have any but our magic controlling the field." The senior Grey Warden inclined his head, his jaw set.

Nodding to the group, Celestine next addressed Ser Perth, who was waiting with his knights nearby. "Ser, I would be grateful if you and your men hold this courtyard. We know not how many more of those unliving are still around, and if we fail, we need someone to protect the village from further assaults - here is the perfect chokepoint."

"We shall do as you wish, My Lady Warden. Your guidance has yet to be to Redcliffe's detriment - something I doubt shall come to pass," the knight replied, saluting by bringing his right fist to his heart and bowing.

Celestine nodded her thanks and began to make her way up the stairs that would lead to the great hall, robes clasped in one hand, staff in the other.

~o~

Martin led Samantha through the corridors of the Circle until he reached a stairwell, and descended two levels. He followed the next torch-lit hall until they reached a thick wooden door. The Tranquil following him recognised the area. She had been past it often enough, though the opportunity to actually travel through it had never presented itself, as it was the area designated for the Templars.

The Chantry's soldiers didn't permit any mages - former or present - to enter the area. The barracks-like space was kept clean by fresh recruits; the tasks of cleaning floors and latrines was supposedly effective at developing humility and discipline and thus good for the soul. From what plans of the Circle layout Samantha had seen under the First Enchanter's service also indicated that there was a fully dedicated drill-and-parade-ground further into that particular section.

The Seeker leading Samantha pulled out a large iron key and inserted it into the keyhole. As he turned it she could hear several latches retracting. He then closed the door after she had followed him in and, seeing the complex locking mechanism of the door, realized that it was no ordinary chamber.

It was spartan enough - the only decoration was a set of black tapestries emblazoned with a white eye surrounded by the Chantry's sun. There were six empty beds, evenly spaced against the walls. On the far side of the room it opened up into a circular area, with several bookshelves and tables lining the walls. The shelves seemed to be filled with tomes and scrolls following a uniform nature. The books only had a number imprinted on the spines and the scrolls were neatly rolled up and placed into tidy alcoves. Of the tables, only two looked to be dedicated to reading, writing and other paperwork, with empty niches for inkwells and small drawers that no doubt contained quills, charcoal, blotting paper and other writing utensils. The rest held arcane glass vessels and metal instruments. Samantha recognized some from her work with the First Enchanter, others from her work with other Formari on enchantments, then others still from her time researching lyrium on her own.

Martin gestured towards a dresser. "No doubt you'll spend the night here, or at least long enough into it that it'll feel like the whole of it. You'll find bedclothes in there, so you can make up one of the bunks in the back. They might need a bit of a shaking out though, not having been used for so long. Any questions?"

Samantha looked at him blankly before slowly shaking her head.

"Of course not," the Seeker breathed, more to himself than the former mage. "Well, I advise getting some sleep now - when our glorious leader finally gets her claws into you it might take a few days before you once again have a normal night of rest." With that he opened the door again using the key and walked out, closing it behind himself and leaving the room in almost complete darkness.