Chapter 11

Val Royeaux wasn't entirely a bust, Holli supposed. There had been people willing to help and people willing to listen, even if those they needed most still refused. 

The Templar leader sounded like an arrogant piece of shit; she was starting to second guess her decision to go to them for help first. But she really would prefer not to have other people's magic poured into her. 

Though her practice was coming along nicely, and she was learning more about magic, the mages they'd use to power her up could fuck up and kill her. At least if the Templars messed up, it was unlikely anything bad would happen to her directly. Maybe she was being a wuss; maybe her fears were valid; it was difficult for her to tell. 

Cassandra and Leliana did seem confident the mages would do fine. She'd asked Solas since he was a mage, and a skilled one at that. But he only said it was not his decision and he could not influence her. She must do what she was comfortable with. 

The trek back to Haven was a little livelier with two more companions. Holli didn't really understand why Sera had wanted to join the cause, but it was nice to have someone closer to her own age. As for Vivienne, Holli didn't really know where she stood with her. There was something about the woman that reminded her of a viper waiting to strike. She'd been nothing but cordial, but Holli got the feeling she could turn nasty in an instant, and her prey wouldn't see it coming.

The woman had also brought a bit of an entourage with her, servants or staff? They carried her belongings, fetched her things, and basically did everything she asked. So they had a much larger camp on the way back. But if Vivienne was going to set her staff to helping people around Haven, the more helping hands, the better.

What she didn't like about Vivienne was the way she muscled in on her lessons with Solas. The woman had a very different approach to magic than the elf, more aggressive and controlling. Holli didn't like it. Or the way she viewed mages. Holli could admit she didn't know enough about either side of the situation to really take a side, but the way Vivienne spoke of the mages trying to get their freedom didn't sit right with her. Like they were wrong for not wanting to be ripped from their families and forced into a tower under constant guard for something that may or may not happen. 

So Solas and Holli took their lessons elsewhere when they did them. Sera sometimes tagged along, offering some snarky commentary. Solas didn't seem happy about it, but he hadn't tried to make her leave either. He did chide her when she became too much of a distraction, though—Sera talked a lot. And found it hilarious to try and make Holli laugh when she was attempting to cast a spell—at best her spell would fail, at worst it sort of blew up in her face. 

She did wonder why Solas didn't send Sera away. 

Maybe he should have.

"Holy shit," Holli breathed out, turning wide eyes on Solas.

She hadn't even been trying to conjure fire, yet the tree nearest them had burst into roaring flames. Solas reacted quickly; a gesture with his hand and the tree was drenched in water. The fire took a few moments to be put out, though, it almost looked like it stood a fighting chance against the water. 

"That's not what I was trying to do, I swear," she said, looking up at Solas, pleading for him to believe her. 

"I know," he said, casting a narrow-eyed look at Sera, who was sitting nearby on a rock.

"What?" Sera asked. "Her piss-poor skill ain't my fault."

It wasn't. Holli should be better at focusing and not let Sera's jokes derail that. 

"Have you noticed each day your spells are stronger than the day before?" Solas asked her.

"I do practice, even without you," she told him.

"Practice hones skill, not necessarily strength. The power behind your spells is increasing. It would appear your magic is still recovering. We have yet to find your limits. Too much power and too little skill make for a dangerous combination."

She nodded; made sense. 

"You need to pull back on the amount of power you're injecting into your spells."

"Cool, ok..." She mumbled, trying to figure out how to do just that.

She hadn't considered the amount of power; she just did it. It was surprisingly easy to cast a spell. She hadn't realised her depleted magic had been setting its own limits; now those limits were expanding. She had been trying to do the warming spell Solas had used on her. She was a little hesitant now knowing that could have been her engulfed in flames.

"Worried you're gonna set yourself on fire?" Sera grinned.

"A little bit," Holli replied. "How is the care for burns in this world?" She asked.

"You'll not burn yourself. I didn't let that happen before, and I won't now," Solas told her.

He had deflected her spell from her? He was just standing there leaning on his staff; he didn't look like he was primed to cast anything. But he hadn't led her astray so far, and his teachings were working.

She took a breath and gave it another go, drawing from that well he'd told her about, heating up the air around her. It wasn't the instant relief like when he'd done it; it was slower, but she could feel it. She was a little scared to make it quick, worried that could have been partially to blame for the tree debacle. Too hot too fast. 

When she felt warm enough, she cut off the magic, grinning to herself before casting a beaming one to Solas. 

"I think I did it; I feel warm."

"Cast it on me," he told her, a faint smile on his own face.

"You're ready to protect yourself from bursting into flame?"

"Of course."

It was a little different casting on someone else; she was a little less sure of how far to go. 

"Are you warm enough?" She asked. "Should I go higher?"

She imagined it like turning up the dial on the heater.

"That is sufficient, thank you."

"What about you, Sera? Are you cold?" Holli asked eagerly, keen to give it another go.

"Not cold enough to risk becoming charcoal."

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of practice on our trek back to Haven," Solas told her. "We should get back to camp; it's our turn to prepare dinner."

They often got lumped together on cooking duty since they were both occupied with their lessons. Holli didn't mind cooking; it was a small way in which she could be useful. It was a bit lame not having much to work with. While there usually wasn't much in her house, there was at least basic shit most of the time. Cup noodles, or just add water pasta.

Not a whole lot to work with at camp.

-

"It's good you've returned," Josephine didn't bother with greetings when they entered the Chantry. "We heard of your encounter."

Holli never even got to spout her speech thanks to the Templars. 

"You heard?" Cassandra asked sceptically.

"Of course," Leliana said, she and Cullen making their way over. "My agents in the city sent word ahead."

"It's a shame the Templars have abandoned their senses as well as the capital," Cullen said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Couldn't that help us?" Holli asked. "If their loyalty's not to the chantry anymore, could we win it somehow?"

"Lord Seeker Lucius is not the man I remember," Cassandra told her, leading them to the room at the end of the Chantry.

"True, he has taken the Order somewhere, but to do what? My reports have been... very odd."

"We must look into it. I'm certain not everyone in the Order will support the Lord Seeker."

"Or Holli could simply go to meet the mages in Redcliffe, instead," Josephine reminded them of the option.

"You think the mage rebellion is more united? It could be ten times worse."

"We could flip a coin," Holli suggested, only half joking. The withering looks cast her way had her rolling her eyes. "Jokes. Sort of."

She would still prefer the Templars, though not the prick in charge. They bickered a little between themselves. If Holli weren't already a little disillusioned by adults, this would possibly be the last nail in that coffin. Seemed it didn't really matter what world it was; no one had their shit together. 

To be fair, this was an extraordinary circumstance. She assumed. No one had ever mentioned this happening before anyway.

It was Cullen who reminded them there was little to be done right now, at least attempting to end things. Holli wandered off like the others, making her way back outside. She was going to find Sera.

"Excuse me, I've got a message for the Inquisition, but I'm having a hard time getting anyone to talk to me."

Holli looked at the young man, heavily armoured and obviously a bit annoyed at being fobbed off so often.

"What's up?" She asked. She could at least pass the message along.

"I'm Cremisius Aclassi, with the Bull's Chargers mercenary company. We mostly work out of Orlais and Nevarra."

Orlais she knew; Nevarra she had never heard of.

"We've got word of some Tevinter mercenaries gathering out on the Storm Coast. My company commander, Iron Bull, offers the information free of charge. If you'd like to see what the Bull's Chargers can do for the Inquisition, meet us there and watch us work."

"I'll pass it along to the bosses. Thanks." She offered a pleasant smile and turned back to the chantry to do just that. 

She could find Sera later.