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Back at the Winter Palace the night was drawing in. Evelyn hated the nights here, it had an ominously dark feeling to it. Evelyns senses were on full alert at night, made sleeping almost impossible. But as much as she wanted to retreat to her room for the night, she needed to update her advisors. They had important information and things were spiralling out of control quickly.
She walked down the stairs to the library where Cullen, Josephine, and leliana stood waiting for her. As she took her spot her hand started to ache again, she forced her fingers hoping it’ll relieve the pain for now. Right now they still didn’t know her Mark was causing her pain, for now she had to ignore it and focus on the Qunari.
Josephine turned to look at Leliana.
“Your agents confirm there are Gatlock barrels in Denerim’s palace?”
Leliana turned towards her.
“Yes and in Val Royeux, and across the Free Marches. The Winter Palace isn’t the only target.”
“The Qunari are one order away from destroying every noble house in the known world.” Cullen added:
Josephine let out a long breath,
“There is a bright side: warning the ambassadors will remind them of the Inquisitions value.”
Leliana turned to Josephine, a dark look came over her face.
“Not when the Inquisition is responsible for that threat.”
Evelyn flexed her hand again, the pain was back with a vengeance.
“I take it you have new information.”
Leliana nodded,
“The Elven servant handling the barrels has disappeared. Notes in his quarters suggest he’s a Qunari spy.”
Josephine looked shocked.
“But the servant was orlesian. That implicates Orlais not us.”
“But the barrels arrived at the Winter Palace on the inquisition’s supply manifest.” Leliana added.
Cullen sighed and shook his head.
“How are we supposed to fight a war, when we can’t even trust our own people?”
Evelyn was becoming agitated. Everything she has worked for was slowly being ripped apart. There was little she could do to stop it.
“Do we know who got the barrels onto the inquisitions manifest?”
Leliana hesitated for a split second.
“Yes, several of the inquisition’s elven workers have gone missing. I had theeir backgrounds checked. They joined the inquisition after fleeing the chaos in Kirkwall.”
Cullen nodded, he remembers the chaos as if it had happened yesterday.
“I remember when Kirkwall was at its worse. Many of the city elves converted to the Qun. Trying to find a better life.”
“And the Qunari turned them into spies.” Josephine added.
Evelyn couldn’t believe what she was hearing. But she couldn’t help but see the irony of it all.
“A few years ago, we railed the mages at redcliff for becoming corrupt. We did the same to the Grey Wardens.”
She chuckled.
“Look at us now.”
Josephine took offence and made it known.
“I fought to protect the inquisition in this exalted council! And for what? So we could deceive and threaten those we claim to protect?”
Cullen turned to her.
“Once we locate the spies-...”
Josephine shook her head clearly angry at Cullen.
“This isn’t about the spies! You hid the Qunari body. You’ve all but seized control at the Winter Palace.”
Cullen cut her off with his arm.
“We did what was right, not politically convenient.”
Josephine glared at Cullen.
“Do you know what this has cost us with Orlais and ferelden? They are planning to dismantle us as we speak! And perhaps they are right.”
Suddenly the anchor of evelyns hand lit up and the pain was nothing she had felt before, she couldn’t stop herself screaming in agony as she grabbed her wrist. Her advisors stood both in shock and terror. Neither of them knew what to do. But as soon as it flared up the pain went leaving Evelyn feeling drained.
“SHIT, DAMMIT!! We save ferelden, and they’re angry! We save Orlais, and they’re angry! Wr close the Breach TWICE, and my own hand wants to kill me! Could one thing is this fucking world just stay fixed!” She screamed.
Evelyn took a deep breath to calm down.
“I need to get to the Darvaarad. You can fight amongst yourselves once I’m... once I’m back”
Evelyn wouldn’t want the worse to happen, but unless they can fix the mark, it wasn’t looking good for her. Cullen seemed to sense her meaning and the anguish in his face made it hard for Evelyn to look at him. He walked up to her and hugged her tightly. Evelyn relaxed a bit in his arms, trying desperately to find the strength to carry on.
Leliana and Josephine watched the couple. Evelyn has never lost her temper in this way ever, it had shocked them all.
Leliana was the first to speak.
“Thank you inquisitor.”
Josephine piped up.
“Would you....would you like us to inform the exalted council of the danger?”
Evelyn kept stoic.
“Yes, if we fail. The exalted council will need to know what happened.”
Leliana nodded.
“I will inform them personally.”
Josephine turned to Leliana, who still was looking at the inquisitor.
“Leliana, I can...”
Leliana shook her head as she turned to her friend.
“No, your job is hard enough already. This is my responsibility.”
Cullen nodded and looked at Evelyn.
“I’ll have guards ready at the Eluvian, in case the Qunari attack the Palace.”
Evelyn turned to make for the stairs, she didn’t have a lot of time to catch up to the Davaarad.
Just as she was leaving she heard Leliana.
“Maker watch over you.”
For once, Evelyn didn’t feel confident that the Maker could save her this time.