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(( Several weeks after Skyhold’s establishment, 9:41 - Skyhold, Mid-afternoon - Sati Adaar ))
Throughout his lifetime, Teagan had been faced with a good many threats to the safety of Redcliffe and its people. As a fortress, Redcliffe Castle was a bastion of enduring strength--one of the capstones of Ferelden’s security as a nation. But despite his best efforts, it was not impenetrable. Armies might not have laid siege in the traditional sense, but it seemed the Bannorn as a whole existed between attacks from various parties.
It was one thing to require outside aid because he could not handle the threats on his own. He’d deferred to Nathaniel Howe and the Wardens once, and to Aedan Cousland before him for that very reason. But it was another thing entirely to be forced to flee his home and arrive hat in hand in Denerim to beg his sort of nephew for assistance.
He’d fought. The Maker might have turned a blind eye to Thedas--if He’d ever deigned to look at all--but even He couldn’t deny Teagan had done everything in his power. Gathering military forces across the arling had been difficult and somewhat pointless, considering all of Ferelden was in chaos. Despite this, Kiley had secured enough information that he wasn’t completely blindsided by what they were facing, and he organized his troops accordingly.
Even still, nothing could have prepared him for the lengths the Venatori had gone to. For the second time in his life, Teagan had felt the thrall of blood magic. It poisoned his mind; forced him to stand down. An act that perhaps saved the lives of his family, in truth, though his pride and outrage wouldn’t allow him to admit that.
What he could admit was that Redcliffe would have been lost without the aid of the Inquisition. Though he’d been somewhat wary of reforming the order, it seemed a necessary measure considering how much of Ferelden was being lost to the endless onslaught of demons pouring from the rifts in the sky. And he couldn’t deny what they’d done for Redcliffe.
He’d intended to visit the so-called Herald of Andraste in Haven, after re-securing Redcliffe with the assistance of Alistair’s forces. That plan was utterly decimated by the complete destruction of the encampment, to the point where he was unsure there was even an Inquisition left to thank. Fortunately the Inquisitor managed to establish a fortress deep in the Frostback Mountains, rebuilding enough to secure a foothold.
The trip was… taxing, to put it mildly. The horse he’d bred from Bastian’s line was unaccustomed to such terrain, having been broken amongst the foothills of the Hinterlands. There were few places to allow the animals rest, and even Teagan was quite exhausted once he finally reached Skyhold.
He’d been greeted by the Inquisition’s ambassador, but had more interest in seeing the fortress as a whole than sitting inside a drafty chamber. As such, he’d found his way to the battlements, sharing in a brief exchange with Commander Cullen before being left to wait for the Inquisitor. Despite sending a letter beforehand, he’d only stated thus far that he wished to speak with her in person. There was no telling who might intercept correspondence these days, and so he’d kept his reasons to himself, holding onto them still as he looked out over the battlements.
Throughout his lifetime, Teagan had been faced with a good many threats to the safety of Redcliffe and its people. As a fortress, Redcliffe Castle was a bastion of enduring strength--one of the capstones of Ferelden’s security as a nation. But despite his best efforts, it was not impenetrable. Armies might not have laid siege in the traditional sense, but it seemed the Bannorn as a whole existed between attacks from various parties.
It was one thing to require outside aid because he could not handle the threats on his own. He’d deferred to Nathaniel Howe and the Wardens once, and to Aedan Cousland before him for that very reason. But it was another thing entirely to be forced to flee his home and arrive hat in hand in Denerim to beg his sort of nephew for assistance.
He’d fought. The Maker might have turned a blind eye to Thedas--if He’d ever deigned to look at all--but even He couldn’t deny Teagan had done everything in his power. Gathering military forces across the arling had been difficult and somewhat pointless, considering all of Ferelden was in chaos. Despite this, Kiley had secured enough information that he wasn’t completely blindsided by what they were facing, and he organized his troops accordingly.
Even still, nothing could have prepared him for the lengths the Venatori had gone to. For the second time in his life, Teagan had felt the thrall of blood magic. It poisoned his mind; forced him to stand down. An act that perhaps saved the lives of his family, in truth, though his pride and outrage wouldn’t allow him to admit that.
What he could admit was that Redcliffe would have been lost without the aid of the Inquisition. Though he’d been somewhat wary of reforming the order, it seemed a necessary measure considering how much of Ferelden was being lost to the endless onslaught of demons pouring from the rifts in the sky. And he couldn’t deny what they’d done for Redcliffe.
He’d intended to visit the so-called Herald of Andraste in Haven, after re-securing Redcliffe with the assistance of Alistair’s forces. That plan was utterly decimated by the complete destruction of the encampment, to the point where he was unsure there was even an Inquisition left to thank. Fortunately the Inquisitor managed to establish a fortress deep in the Frostback Mountains, rebuilding enough to secure a foothold.
The trip was… taxing, to put it mildly. The horse he’d bred from Bastian’s line was unaccustomed to such terrain, having been broken amongst the foothills of the Hinterlands. There were few places to allow the animals rest, and even Teagan was quite exhausted once he finally reached Skyhold.
He’d been greeted by the Inquisition’s ambassador, but had more interest in seeing the fortress as a whole than sitting inside a drafty chamber. As such, he’d found his way to the battlements, sharing in a brief exchange with Commander Cullen before being left to wait for the Inquisitor. Despite sending a letter beforehand, he’d only stated thus far that he wished to speak with her in person. There was no telling who might intercept correspondence these days, and so he’d kept his reasons to himself, holding onto them still as he looked out over the battlements.
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